A Land Lost in Time
by PenguinForce
Summary: Link never expected to be sent back in time, but there was one thing he thought he could count on: Zelda's love. When he finds that even THAT can't be taken for granted, his whole world collapses before him as he is forced to grow up once again with the same girl he knows has no recollection of the past, if he wishes to save the land lost in time.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"You could live the life you were supposed to, be the way you were supposed to be."

"Zelda, this _is _the way I was supposed to be."

Zelda lowered her head, her expression presenting one of sorrow.

"But I robbed you of-"

"Nothing. You robbed me of nothing and you need to realize that."

"I'm sorry Link… it just… has to be this way."

Link's hands shot toward the blue, clay ocarina on his belt around his waist only to find the instrument that had been there only moments ago now rested in the soft hands of Zelda.

"Zelda, please don't!" Link practically shouted at the princess, trying desperately to change her mind before she committed an act that would take all of this away from him. "I fought through all of this for a reason! I want to see Hyrule prosper again, I want to see the people come out from the darkness and rise to see the world is theirs again. I want to see your face again… It had been so full of life the first time I laid my eyes on you, back in the courtyard all those years ago. I want to see that same girl again and I'm not going to let you take that away from me now that I'm closer than ever. Zelda, I lo-"

"Please don't say it Link. I… It'll just… I can't Link… I just can't feel that same way towards you… Not right now."

Link's smile faltered from his face.

"And why not Zel? You don't have to hide from anyone anymore. You don't have to be the cold, emotionless person you pretended to be. Zelda, the sky is the limit right now, why can't you see that?"

Zelda's eyes looked up towards the black sky above her. The smoke from the battle with Ganon was now starting to slow, giving way to the sunlight that shined above the clouds, mixed in with the ruins. They created a beautiful sense of a new beginning that seemed and felt almost frozen in time itself.

Zelda slowly let air out of her lungs as her eyes once again stared deep into her hero's.

"I'm sorry Link… It is much more complicated than all of this. Maybe we'll meet again, Link, and I'll be able to tell you why I had to do this."

With that, Zelda slowly raised both of her hands and held the fabled Ocarina of Time to her lips. Just as the sweet sounds of the Song of Time began escaping the confines of the instrument, Link opened his mouth in a final, desperate attempt to speak to someone he had come to love one last time.

"Will I remember any of this? Will anyone remember any of this?"

Zelda opened her eyes as she blew the last couple of notes, the song concluding and herself lowering the ocarina from her lips.

"You'll find out. Link… I'm sorry…"

She stared at him with a saddened look amongst her face and as his vision began to grow ever paler, the last thing he saw was her face… The last thing he would forget from this land was her face…

* * *

"Impa, why can't I go outside of the castle ever? All of the other children get to play in the street with each other but every day you tell me that I can't go out there and play with them."

The innocent girl of six years old turning seven asked her caretaker, Impa.

"And every day you ask this same question to me and what do I tell you?"

Zelda jumped away from the window, too high for the little girl to see out of fully and therefore had been forced to stand on her tippy toes to get a look outside, and onto her bed just feet away where she looked up into Impa's eyes.

"Because I'm a princess?"

Impa smiled at her.

"Exactly."

"But that's not fair!" the young princess whined as her nursemaid set out her outfit for the day next to herself on the bed.

"Zelda, you have it way better than many have out there. You should consider yourself lucky."

"But I won't ever get to live a normal life like everyone else."

"Well, what do you consider normal?"

"Normal people get to play with other people their age."

"Well then, you are a normal person, Zelda."

"No I'm not!"

"You play with Malon whenever she comes to the castle don't you? Therefore, going by your definition, you are considered normal. Now Zelda, you need to get ready. Your parents are going to be expecting you ready for the day ahead at breakfast and we don't want to keep them waiting do we?"

Zelda shook her head back and forth quickly.

"Good, then let's hurry along and get ready."

* * *

This was her least favorite part of the day. Every day at the exact same time, her parents and her sat in the throne room and listened to pleas of the citizens of Castle Town demand something of King Daphnes or Queen Hylia.

"I haven't even heard of the town of Ordon. Why should we build a road to a town we have barely established relations with?" the king asked in his bold, arrogant voice that echoed off of the walls of the throne room they sat in.

"Well, we have a lot to offer you…like the surplus of pumpkins, and goat milk and-"

"Pumpkins! You want us to pay for your road so that you can bring pumpkins to Hyrule? You must be joking!"

Zelda didn't like having to sit here for long periods of time and listen to the commoners rant on about things like this all day, but the thing she hated most about this time was how mean her father became during this time. Many of the times, what the people who came here asked for wasn't too unreasonable but her father always reacted rudely to them. Anytime she brought this up to Impa or her mother, they just kept telling her she was too young to really understand what was happening.

Zelda slowly began slumping in her seat and her eyelids began closing but her behavior was quickly noticed. Her mother cleared her voice, somewhat loudly, which Zelda knew meant to straighten up and sit up properly or else she would get in trouble.

"I just don't see the benefit of trade relations with Ordon Village, I'm afraid. Next!"

"But your majesty!" the rather chubby man who had been talking to her father had pleaded before being whisked away by one of the guards. There was short time between now and when the next person would enter their presence which the Queen took as an opportunity to talk to her daughter.

"Zelda, what have I told you about sitting up straight and acting attentive when there are guests in the room?"

That was another thing Zelda hated. Everyone but Impa always used such big words that she was expected to know but she was only _six_! She felt like they forgot that sometimes.

"I'm sorry Mommy. I just get so bored here."

That was one thing Zelda did like though. Her mother was still a caring person and even though they didn't see each other all the time, she knew she could be completely truthful with her and her mother would not get mad at her for stating her opinion.

"I know Sweetheart but it's important you know. One day, you'll be making the big decisions instead of your father and you should know what to do and how to act so that when that day comes, you'll know just what to do and how to best preserve Hyrule's best interests. But I guess you have been a good girl lately. How about this, you come scoot your little but over her and give me a hug and I'll let you go and have fun for today instead of staying in here. Deal?"

Zelda leapt out of her seat and jumped into her mother's lap, wrapping her arms around her mother before jumping down and running out of the room. She dashed around tight corners and made her way through the many hallways and rooms the castle had until she reached her destination, her favorite place to play in the entire castle: the Courtyard. The flowers were among her favorite things here. The red tulips, the violets that grew together in the corner, the different colors the orchids grew in; she could go on for hours about the different flowers here and why she loved each one.

She began at the roses and began walking towards the small pond created by the small waterfall that cascaded into the yard but there was something off. Something was not right. She bent down to pick up a rose but when she came back up, she yelped and jumped in the air.

Standing only a few feet in front of her was a boy garbed in green with a weird, green, cone-shaped hat. He had a wooden shield on his back and a sword resting upon his back.

She quickly gathered her composure and looked the boy in the eye.

"Uh… hi… sorry, you scared me, is all."

The boy smiled back at her but didn't say a word.

"You must have gotten lost. See, usually no one but me and my mommy and daddy aren't allowed here so I just got scared when I saw you and… you don't talk much do you?"

She cocked her head ever so slightly and her brows furrowed down as she waited for a response. But just as he was about open his mouth, both their heads turned to the side where a voice came shooting sharply at them.

"Zelda! What are you doing here? Get away from that boy!" she practically shouted as she brought out a small dagger and ran to position herself between the boy and Zelda.

"Mommy told me I could go and play so I came running here but when I got here, he was just standing here!" she said hurriedly.

"You have no reason to be in this area of the castle. Now drop your sword and-"

"Wait Impa! He seems like he is a nice boy and think about it, someone wouldn't just break into the castle for funsies. He probably has something important to tell me."

Impa's eyes narrowed and her grip seemed to tighten on the knife she wielded. Instead of saying yes however, he only nodded his head slightly up and down.

"Well then boy, get on with it!"

The boy in green slowly lifted his hands up and when his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword he carried on his back, Impa lunged forward at him and tackled him to the ground. He laid helplessly on the ground with Impa's knee pressed firmly against his back and her dagger pointed right at his throat, maybe an inch from slicing through his skin.

"Don't try anything funny again boy! You're under arrest for trespassing into Hyrule Castle and for threatening to inflict harm on the Princess of Hyrule.

* * *

"Boy, you are in a heap of trouble and now is the only chance you'll have to clear yourself so you better get on with it!"

Impa had handcuffed the boy who looked no more than six or seven years of age. She pushed him forward where he bowed slightly in front of the King. He then turned towards the Queen who held Zelda in her lap as she quietly cried into her mother's shoulder. She had come running up to her scared out of her mind when Impa had tackled the boy.

"Is all of this really necessary?" the queen asked her husband but instead of him answering, Impa came forward and answered.

"He was found in the Courtyard when Zelda went out to play earlier. I had to arrest him after he reached for the sword around his back and I brought him straight here afterwards."

"I understand that Impa and I thank you for protecting my daughter from a potentially harmful situation but this boy looks to be about Zelda's age! I highly doubt he could do harm to us. He is probably just as scared as Zelda is, but he can't show his emotions since he has to try and clear his own name right now."

"He's a killer Hylia." The King belted out.

"How dare you say that Daphnes! He is just a boy! And you haven't even given him a chance to talk and explain what he was doing!" Hylia almost shouted out to him as she continued to pat her daughter's back in comfort.

"Well boy, speak up then!"

The boy in green didn't however. He remained calm and only brought his handcuffed hands forward and held them out in front of him which the Queen quickly realized was the boy asking to have his hands released.

"Impa, would you please?"

She looked at the Queen with an astonished look.

"Your highness-"

"Please Impa. I know you mean well but if the Royal Family's personal guard can't defend us against a six year old boy, then I think we need to reconsider your job."

Impa shook her head and quickly walked towards the boy where she undid the handcuffs around his wrist.

"Don't even think about doing anything funny." She whispered into his ears before walking towards the thrones, placing herself in a position where she could defend against the boy in case he attacked.

The boy, once he had the full attention of the room, moved his hand towards his sword which Impa quickly became alert of and readied to attack him. He brought out the sword and held it by the hilt but instead of attacking, he reached for a small area on his belt and pulled out a note. He turned the sword so that it was perpendicular to the royalty in front of him and kneeled down on one knee as he lifted his hands up, offering the sword to them. Impa walked carefully towards him, keeping one hand on her dagger's hilt. She grabbed the sword from his hands and took the note as well. She then walked back towards the King and Queen and handed the King the sword and the Queen the note.

The Queen finally picked up Zelda and placed her on the ground next to her. She held out the note in front of her and read it out loud.

_"__I bring my greetings to the King and Queen of Hyrule, but I unfortunately have nothing to give to them. This sword I bring as a present to the young Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. I was born Hylian but grew up as a Kokiri. When I left, I was given the Kokiri Sword as a parting present and realized such a gift was only meant for the hands of royalty. I may be young but I realize that this sword is fairly small for someone like you, the King or Queen to handle but perfect size for the Princess since I figure we are the same age. I understand that right now you may not want to give the young Princess a weapon since there is virtually no need but as she grows and matures, she may learn how to handle it. Thank you for your time and I sincerely hope you enjoy this precious gift of the Kokiri."_

Hylia finished reading the note out loud and looked towards her husband. Zelda in the meantime had stopped crying and walked over towards her father. She tried getting up on her tippy-toes to look at the sword in her father's hands… _her_ sword.

"And you accused him of being a killer Daphnes."

"I apologize, boy, for that."

The boy in green got back onto his feet and smiled upon hearing the king's apology. It wasn't every day the top member of a nation apologized to its people for being wrong. The boy, content with the sight in front of him, turned his back around and began making his way towards the door. The queen had been handed the sword and had been admiring it, the young princess climbing back into her lap to look at it, when she noticed the boy heading for the exit.

"Hey, just where do you think you're going?" she yelled out across the expanse of the room.

The boy, hearing this, turned around and looked back at the three with a terrified look.

"Please make your way back here immediately," she belted out with a stern voice.

He slowly made his way back to the front of the dark room, the only light coming from the windows which filtered in the now setting sun's rays.

"You are still in trouble for breaking in to the castle. I think my husband here will agree with me that some punishment is required."

This line not only made the young boy (now cowering beneath her) raise his eyebrows in surprise, but the King's and Zelda's did as well. In fact, she had never seen her mother this way before and this terrified her.

"Uh… yes, I quite agree with this and-"

"Do you have anyone waiting for you outside? Is there anyone looking after you?" The boy in green looked down with a saddened look before finally shaking his head side to side "I see. Well then, as punishment for breaking into the castle and threatening my daughter, the princess of Hyrule, with a gift you brought to bear us, I hereby sentence you to attend dinner with us tonight and stay with us here, for one night." She finished this last sentence with a smile.

"Really?!" Zelda questioned her mother all the while squealing with absolute delight. This, after all, would be the first kid her age, besides her friend Malon, she would actually get to play with.

King Daphnes however, was not in the slightest pleased with this.

"You cannot be-"

"I meant full well what I had to say and that is the final word. Now, our attendant here, Impa, the lady who caught you on your way in, will show you to your room where you will be staying with us tonight."

Impa walked to the side of him and quickly gave him a little bow with her head.

"You shall find there anything you will need tonight. Do not hesitate to call a maid to help you out."

He bowed lightly to her, a wide grin forming along his face.

"Zelda, please come with us. I can help you get ready for this evening as well after showing… uh… say boy, what is your name?"

The boy went to grab another item from his belt, a small, wooden ocarina and handed it to Impa, who turned it around to see a small engraving on the backside.

"Link, huh?"

The boy nodded in agreement.

"Well then, no hard feeling about earlier I hope. Come, young Link and Zelda. Let us prepare for the evening."

Zelda jumped off of her mother's lap and ran towards the two, joining them as they made their way to the chambers.

* * *

"Little did I know that that night, her and I would spark a friendship that would go on to last years." I said to the lady next me. I took a quick drink from the bottle before me and placed it back down on the table.

"I'm sorry, but this whole thing just doesn't make any sense."

I raised an eyebrow and looked curiously in her direction.

"What about it doesn't make sense?"

"You really want me to believe that the King and Queen would just be fine and dandy with you trespassing like that? I feel like a person in their right mind would not be fine with that."

I chuckled at this comment.

"Well, they were."

"Okay fine, but what happened after that?"

"You're the one who cut me off. Anyways, Zelda walked next to me as Impa showed me the way to the room I'd be staying in, but she didn't say a single word. She only stared at me with those beautiful eyes of hers. They were so full of childlike curiosity but the walk was short. I'll save you some boring parts of this story and skip ahead a couple of hours to dinner."

* * *

Link sat waiting on the bed. The room he would be staying that night was bigger than any house he'd ever lived in. The room was ordained with jewels and gold all over the room. It was probably the nicest thing he'd ever seen. But it didn't compare to being out there still. Nothing would.

He got up and walked over to the window. He was only seven years old so he was still fairly short. He struggled to look out through the window but once he stood on his tippy-toes, his eyes were met with a splendid view of the town below. The castle sat on a hill, and even though the sun now rested below the horizon, some light was still lingering over this city, painting striking lines of orange, purple, blue and black overhead.

The town below, despite the hour, was still bustling and busy as ever. But he didn't care to look any further at it. Instead, his gaze continued outwards for just after the town's walls lay the vast, expansive fields he had come to know quite well since leaving the forest.

His thoughts were interrupted however by the sound of the door swiveling open. He spun around and immediately felt a pool of guilt for not having changed out of his tunic, for standing next to Impa was the elegantly dressed princess. She was dressed in a rather simple white dress with a little ribbon tied around her waist; to Link however, who had never seen anything outside of the Kokiri fashion, she was dressed like an angel. Atop her head sat a gold tiara with red and blue jewel encrusted within its frame.

And then there was Link who just stood there, dumbfounded, wearing his green, dirt smudged tunic. There were holes here and there on his top and hat but it was all he had. His boots were worn and weathered but he hadn't had a pair of new shoes in years.

Zelda hid behind Impa's leg, peering out around from it with a curious yet still timid look. Impa however only cast a quick sideways glance.

"Come, young Link. We best not keep his and her highness waiting."

Link jumped down from where he was and quickly walked towards them. He turned into the hallway and waited for a quick second for Impa to get in front of him to lead the way. The two young children began walking behind the nursemaid, Link's head looking all around at the decorations that hung upon the walls. His head swiveled up and down, side to side, until he finally noticed the girl next to him casting him quick glances before turning her head back towards the ground. She still feared him; he was, after all, a stranger in her home.

They turned many more corners and walked down the grand staircase. A solid gold chandelier hanging above their heads, the railings made of shear ebony and embezzled with colorful jewels. The marble flooring on the ground floor only added to the beauty of this room. They walked through just a couple more halls before he walked into a large room with a giant, oblong table situated in the center of it. It was here Zelda and him split apart, much to her content, he thought, but quickly realized how false this accusation was once he saw he would be sitting directly opposite of her.

The two quickly took their seat and waited in silence for about five, awkward minutes, until the Queen and King took their seats at the end of the table. Once the two were comfortably seated and situated, the servants began filtering into the dining room, carrying trays of many different foods and delicacies; baked octorak and leg of wolfos being such examples.

"Zelda, you look beautiful as usual." The queen stated, being the first one to finally break the silence they had at in.

The princess responded with a blush and a meek thank you.

"And Link, you look... just like you did earlier! Not that there is anything wrong with that but... Hey!" The king finally stopped but only due to the kick in the shin he had received from his wife. He glanced over immediately and received a glare from her, which made Zelda giggle.

They ate in relative silence, but it wasn't until the first course had finished... and it wasn't until the alcohol had set in that the king began becoming boisterous, telling the table about his old friends from when he was a child, and the time he had been caught trying to dig up a grave in Kakariko Village. By the time dessert had come to the table, the king's words were nothing short of slurs.

"I'ze... tell ye Zeldor, he was scarred out... or scared out of his mind when he'z saw us coming but-"

"Okay Honey, I think they get the point." The Queen finally interjected with a smile. "Zelda, why don't you and our guest go off and play for a little. I think it's time your father went to bed."

Zelda smiled and nodded. She had been relatively quiet throughout the course of the feast but the energy returned to her now. After all, these words had been what she was waiting to hear since Link first arrived in the courtyard.

She jumped out of her chair, a smile etched wide on her face, and ran to the other side of the table where she grabbed Link's chair and tried puling it back.

"Come on Link! We get to go and play! And I want to show you my favorite spot in the castle to play at! Come on!" Link turned around in his chair to look at the girl straining to pull his chair out and chuckled a little. He finally helped her out by jumping out of his chair and bowed slightly at the King and Queen. Hylia smiled back at him but before she was able to say anymore to the boy, Zelda grabbed his hand and whisked him away.

They stepped through the hallway and began running; or rather Zelda began running and dragged Link along behind her. They quickly made their way around the castle until the duo found themselves back in the room they had met each other in.

Zelda had made Link cover his eyes before stepping through the final doorway.

"Okay, you can open them now!" She practically squealed.

Link uncovered his eyes and before he even saw the room they were in, he had already known which one he had been dragged to: The Courtyard.

"Surprise! Now, I know last time you were in here you got in trouble but I promise that this time you won't because I talked to Impa and she said it would be okay to take you here." She said with a beaming smile. "Besides, there is nowhere else that is as much fun to play in as in here. We can play tag, and hide and seek and..." She began listing off the various childhood games they would be playing, counting them all on her fingers. Link all the while just stood in front of her smiling. "So, ready to play?"

Link nodded his head.

"We can start with tag. Usually, when I play with my friend Malon, she always starts off being it but I'm okay with being it too. What do you think?"

Link shrugged his shoulders.

"Say, you don't talk much do you? Actually, now that I think of it, you haven't spoken a single word since I've met you." Zelda's face went from one of pleasure to one of distress quickly. "Oh my Goddesses, I never introduced myself did I? Oh no! Mommy would not be very happy with that. She says that a good princess will always introduce herself to the citizens of the kingdom. Okay, let's play pretend for a second and act like we just met each other. Hi, my name is Princess Zelda of Hyrule." She smiled and curtsied. She then straightened up again and stood there quietly in front of him, waiting for him to respond. But she continued waiting... and waiting... and waiting...

"Can you talk?" The little girl had been wanting to ask him this question for a while but thought it would sound rude and invasive, but she just couldn't stand to not know.

Link, at first only stared at her, his blue eyes looking deep into hers, until he finally nodded his head.

"So then, why haven't you yet?"

She didn't actually expect him to answer since up to this point he had remained completely quiet. So when he opened his mouth and began talking, when she finally heard his voice, she became utterly shocked. But his answer was what made her not only confused, but it made her blush as well.

"Because I wanted you to hear my voice first."

She didn't know how to respond to that, not expecting to hear any sort of response from him.

"But... we've been alone for a long time now... in the courtyard... there hasn't been anyone else here..."

He smiled at her response.

"Zelda... Or I guess I should call you Princess Zelda since after all-"

"No, Link... You're my friend now... Just call me Zelda!"

He smiled at this.

"Okay. Zelda, your nursemaid, Impa, has been sitting in the shadows and watching us until now."

Her head immediately spun around to look for her.

"Like I said, she's gone now."

She brought her head back to face his. He was just a little bit taller than her but not by that much. But his eyes... his ocean blue eyes...

"And, you actually did introduce yourself earlier when I had been caught by Impa. I didn't though. So let's play pretend for a second and act like we just met each other. Hi, my name is Link."

She smiled back at him but her eyes would not waver from his.

"I've wanted to say this for a while now but your name sounds... like I know it already... andyour face too… you look familiar... have we meet before?"

"A long time ago..." Link mumbled, not intending for it to be loud enough for it to be heard but of course, that's exactly what happened.

"Wait, so we have met? How long ago? Where were we?"

Link opened his mouth to respond but shut it and decided not to speak what he was going to say.

"Just forget I said that. I'd rather not talk about it."

"Okaaaaaaaayyyyyyy... so... you still want to play tag?"

Link smiled back at her, "Sure but... tag, you're it!"

He began running away from her as the realization that she was now it slowly came to her.

"Wait! No fair!" She screamed at him as she began scurrying after him.

* * *

They had played to their heart's content and after two hours of non-stop games, they finally collapsed on the grassy ground next to the roses. They laid together, Zelda on Link's left, and stared up at the starry sky above.

"Can I tell you a secret Link? You have to promise not to tell anyone."

"I don't know Zelda... It depends on one thing."

"And that would be..."

"How ticklish you are!"

He jumped on her and pinned her to the ground as he quickly began tickling her on her stomach.

"Haha... sto-... stop Link... Pl..." She pleaded between her gasps for air.

"What? I can't hear you!"

"P-P... Please Link... Haha... stop..."

He finally stopped and was quickly pushed by Zelda. She tried not to smile and pretended to be mad at him but try as she might, she couldn't hide her smile.

"What?" Link asked, acting oblivious to what had just happened.

"I was going to tell you something serious!"

"Hey Zelda, why are you smiling?" Link said, finding himself smiling at her.

"I'm not... I'm... I'm serious Link, can you keep a secret?"

He laughed at her slightly as she finally stopped trying to fight herself.

"Sure Zelda."

"Well Link... I... Well, I guess I'll start off here. I live in this castle-"

"What?! I thought you lived in Hyrule Field!" the sarcasm ever present in his voice.

"Come on Link! I'm really trying to tell you something serious."

"Okay fine. I'll stop interrupting you." Link finally said, continuing to stare u at the stars far above him.

"So, as I was saying, I've lived in the castle my whole life and I know every time Malon visits me, she tells me how lucky I am to live here but I wish she knew what it really was like here. Its sooooo boring," she whined.

"Why is that, Zelda?"

"Have you ever had to sit through two hours of people you don't even know coming up to you and begging you for something?"

"No."

"Exactly. I look out the castle windows every day and when I look down at the market, I always see children like me playing and running around having fun. I've asked Impa to let me go down and play with them but she never lets me. She always says that a princess's duty is to serve... and protect her people. But I don't want to do that! I want to go and have fun with other children. I want to play in the streets and... and... I can't. Because a princess doesn't do that. A princess only gets to sit and doing boring adult things all day."

Link didn't know what to say. He tried to formulate something in his head but in the end, all he could do was continue lying there next to her, looking up at the starry sky above him.

"I told you, back when we first started talking that I have a secret to tell you... and, well, here it is. I only have one friend, Link. I keep talking about Malon and-"

"I know who she is, don't worry."

"Oh, you do? Well... Malon is the only friend I have, Link. I'm the Princess of Hyrule and I have one friend... How could a princess like me... ever lead a country?"

She wiped her eyes as a single tear slowly strolled down the surface of her cheek.

"Zelda... You're wrong you know."

She sniffled and wiped her eyes once more. "What do you mean?"

"I know for a fact that you have two friends."

He turned his head to look at hers and saw a small smile form on her face that continued to stare up at the heavens.

* * *

"Well, that's awfully cliché."

"But it's all one hundred percent true." I said with the drink now empty. "You're the one who asked me to tell you my life story."

"Yeah but I didn't think it'd be some cliché, boring, slow story."

_'__This girl is going to drive me crazy,'_ I thought.

"Well, if boring is what this story is then, I can always stop. Besides, it's getting late and-"

She quickly interjected, scooting herself even closer towards me.

"Oh come on. It's not even that late. In fact, the sun is still out. At least stay till sundown. This is kinda of interesting and I've got nothing else to do tonight. Plus, I'd love some company."

I turned to look at this girl next to me. She was probably the same age as me: late teens. But she was awfully cute. Now, I'm not saying I felt anything towards her but come on, can't a guy call a girl cute once in a while?

"Alright, fine. I'll stay and finish this story. But I'll warn you once again, it is quite a long one."

"And I'll tell you once again, I've got no plans for the night."

I sighed... I really wasn't in the mood to tell this story but oh well.

"Okay but listen closely because I'm not going to repeat any of this. So, back to the story then. We both continued laying in the grass..."

* * *

Zelda's eyes were shut, her breathing had become steady, each intake of air raising her chest slightly before quickly falling as she exhaled. Her head rested on his stomach, her arms folded neatly across her own torso, her dress falling just shy of her ankles as her legs had become bent at her knees.

Link had grown weary himself and had shut his eyes to rest, never intending on falling asleep himself, but he soon found himself doing just that.

His eyes bolted open, however, at the sudden sound of the door opening to the courtyard in front of him. He quickly lifted his head, his eyes focusing in on the door, his senses becoming alert and protective for not only him, but Zelda as well. Link reached for the sword on his back only to be met with air as he had momentarily forgotten that he had given it to the princess as a gift.

"Ah! I told you she would be here. This is after all her favorite spot in the castle."

Link was quick to realize to whom this voice belonged to: the queen.

He slowly got up onto his feet, allowing Zelda's head to gently slide off of his stomach and onto the grassy ground below, while the queen, walking next to a darker figure Link assumed to be the nursemaid, made their way towards their position in the middle of the grassy brook.

"I'm sorry, your Highness. We were just talking and the next thing I know is that we both had fallen asleep and-"

She quickly raised her hand in front of her, a small smile, despite the lack of light, could be made out on her face.

"It's quite alright Link but I must say, it is strange to hear your voice. After all, you haven't spoken a word to us until now. You must explain this to me but I think we could both agree that this can wait until the morning." At that, she peered past his shoulder to look at her daughter, sleeping away on the ground behind the boy. "Though I must say, Link, she seems to be quite fond of you. She only takes people she thinks she can trust in to this room, and the fact that she brought you here after only meeting you a couple of hours go in quite a scary way makes me think highly of you." She smiled at him and looked at him in a caring, compassionate sort of way. She then walked past him and bent down to pick her daughter up in her arms and carry her on her shoulder, Zelda not even seeming to have awoken in the slightest way. "But like I said, I think this talk can wait until the morning. Impa here will show you the way back to your room where I hope you'll sleep nicely tonight."

She began walking back towards the same door they had entered through and as she was about head through the door, it was Link who this time stopped her.

"Your Highness?" he asked her across the length of the distance she had covered. "Thank you."

She smiled back at him.

"No Link... It's really I who should be saying thank you." She turned and then proceeded to exit through the doorway once again.

* * *

"The boy is gone!" Impa had run into the king's and queen's room the next morning, stating with shock.

Hylia immediately sat straight up out of her bed, her husband doing the same, though not in quite the same speed as she had.

"What do you mean? How can a six or seven year old boy leave the castle without anyone seeing him?"

"That's the same question we have all been asking. The last time anyone saw him was last night, me being the one. I escorted him to his room and nothing seemed too out of place. He was quiet but he had been the entire time he has been here so I didn't think anything of it. The guards at the front gate, as well as at the ones littered among the front yard and the Castle Town Gate have all said that there has been no activity all night. The only thing he left..." she paused as she reached behind her back and pulled out a small piece of paper, "was this."

Impa walked forward to hand Hylia the note. She turned it over and quickly read the note, which appeared as if it had been scribbled down quickly.

_I thank the king and queen dearly for allowing me to stay overnight. But I must move on and continue my search, for I did not find what I was looking for here. Please tell Princess Zelda that I thank her for her company last night and that I hope she enjoys my gift to her._

_Sincerely,_

_Link_

Hylia put the note down and looked up at Impa curiously.

"This letter sounds as if it were written by an adult, not some little boy."

"That's exactly what I first thought too which makes me even more curious about this boy. I knew that since the minute I first saw him that there was something more to this boy. And young Zelda told me this morning, that he had mentioned in their time spent together last night, that they had met, and I quote, long ago."

The queen looked back down at the note in her hand, reading it over once more.

"This boy is not that old yet he talks like... like.-"

"Like a man trapped in a boy's body." The queen said, finishing Impa's sentence for her.

"Exactly." Impa walked over to the door that lead to the bedroom's balcony and stared out to the crowded market below. "But I don't think there is too much we can do about it now. He's already left and it's gonna be impossible to track down at this point." She turned to face the queen once again. "I don't think there is any use in dawdling around on this issue. There are more important, pressing matters at hand."

Hylia sighed and looked up at Impa.

"I agree with you. It's just... I don't know..." she trailed off.

Impa gave her an understanding smile.

"Zelda?" she asked.

The queen replied with a small nod of her head.

"Exactly. I know firsthand the lifestyle she has had to grow up in and I promised to myself and to my child that I would make sure my they grew up better than I did, that he or she would be able to feel just like a normal kid, with lots of friends to play with and... I just feel that I'm failing at keeping this promise to her."

"Your Highness, this life has never been easy and if I may say so myself, you are doing a wonderful job. She is happy and content and as carefree as a child her age could be. You've done a wonderful job despite her lifestyle of making her feel normal. And speaking of her, I better go and awaken our princess."

Impa quickly turned around and walked out, headed towards one of the castle's towers where the princess's room was.

* * *

"So why'd you leave?" the girl asked me.

"For... personal reasons." I stated with a bit of hesitation.

"Personal reasons? What a coward-like response."

"Excuse me?" I asked her a little agitated at her response.

"Okay, I didn't mean to say coward. I just meant that there has to be a better reason you just picked up your bag, or I guess in this case your shield but anyways, there has to be a reason you left so suddenly without a goodbye or anything. I mean yeah, I get if it was like your mother-in-law's house or something that you'd want to leave so suddenly but this is the king and queen and princess of Hyrule we're talking about! People don't just leave because they all of a sudden have some agenda that calls for them to get up and go at the crack of dawn without people seeing them. There has to be a better reason then that!"

_Oh Din. Why did I have to start this conversation with her in the first place?_

"Well, there's not so I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Uh, fine! I guess that'll HAVE to do for now then." she said with an attitude of a younger teenage girl. "So what happened next?"

"Glad you asked." I smiled and chuckled as I swirled the contents inside my glass. "So, I left the castle like I said and..."

* * *

Link crept out of the castle the same way he'd crept in, through the small stream that ran through the courtyard and exited into the moat. He pulled himself out of the moat and climbed over the small wall next to the closed drawbridge that led into the main castle. He maneuvered his way around the yard, making sure to stay well out of eyesight of any of the guards that stood watch in the field and at the main gate entrance, and before he knew it, he was walking along the cobblestone streets of Castle Town. It was still quite early in the morning, the sun had not even risen to light up the main plaza known as the Bazaar, the main reason he found himself walking in the presence of no one. He had begun walking towards the main gate of the market town but a twinkle in his left eye made him stop and turn to peer out towards the magnificently tall, marble white building to his left: The Temple of Time.

Even in the dim lighting of the early morning, this building seemed just as beautiful and pristine as ever. The windows glistened in the night sky, only adding to the overall phenomenal appearance of this building.

But Link only smiled and shook his head in disbelief. This building appeared to be all of those things, wonderful, magnificent, phenomenal, glorious, but Link knew the true evil it hid within it, and the true evil it had brought upon this land.

And the best part about it was that he seemed to be the only one that remembered it all.

He at first began walking towards the building, changing his course from the entrance of the town towards the structure, but he stopped. His legs seemed to grow numb and stiff, his whole body becoming incredibly sore as he looked forward towards this building.

And then, he had all together left Castle Town. Instead, he stood on a circular plot of land, surrounded by a deep pit of lava. He looked in all direction and only saw the debris from his castle lying all around him...

_His castle_

It was his... the man that currently laid under layers of brick and rubble, the man with green skin, the man with the wicked yellow eyes, the man that brought about nightmares to all of Hyrule.

_Ganondorf_

He stared at this being with nothing but hatred, feeling no sorrow for his current condition, feeling no pity for this man who appeared dead.

But of course, the man's life was far from over.

The rubble began to stir and just as it began flying upwards into the dark, thunderous sky above, he heard a scream, a shriek, from behind him. He turned around and his heart all but stopped.

It was her.

He stared at her, the golden hair of which she possessed flowing down, just past her shoulders. Her pink, silky dress, with the crest of Hyrule printed neatly at her mid-stomach region, her beautiful and pristine looking face; it was all just like he remembered.

Her mouth was wide open, shouting something at him, but her words were lost in the wind. She pointed behind him, her fingers trembling in front of her, and he turned to look but as his body swiveled in a clockwise direction, brick and rubble began flying up into the air, landing only feet away from him. He stumbled backwards and turned to make sure Zelda was okay but his eyes met hers and he could only see fear as a wall of fire sprang up from the ground. She screamed out his name, but he couldn't hear it, forced to read her lips instead. He turned back around and quickly brought his sword up to block the oncoming threat he had quickly taken notice of. The Master Sword was struck by a golden blade coming from the abomination in front of him, and Link quickly realized who the monster in front of him was.

It was Ganondorf... but it wasn't... it was the Triforce of Power acting upon Ganondorf instead, transforming this green skinned, yellow eyed man into giant, pig-like creature.

He was easily ten times the size Link was, his two hind legs he stood upon were extremely muscular as was his both of his arms which currently held two large, thin golden blades, each easily as long as Link was tall. He tried glimpsing up at his face but the extreme lightning that had suddenly begun disabled him from doing so. All he could see were two white, glowing eyes staring at him angrily.

He put all of his might into blocking Ganon's blades from reaching his body but even still, he was unable to hold his ground, his feet sliding backwards until Ganon eventually retracted his arm and sliced his other arm out towards him, attacking him once again. Link brought his blade up to defend himself but as soon as the golden blade slid across and hit his, Ganon brought his other blade down to attack. Link managed to jump backwards but the second blade dove downwards and cut back up, immediately dislodging the Master Sword from his hand. He watched as it sailed through the air and landed with a swift thud behind the wall of fire Ganon had created. His attention immediately drew back to the monster and stared wide eyed as he watched the beast raise his sword in the air above him and threw his arm down at him, blade aiming right at his head. He closed his eyes when the blade was inches from hitting his face but when he opened his eyes, he was no longer standing in a scene of total carnage, but he was back in the dark, early morning of a quiet Castle Town.

He could only continue staring at the Temple of Time in front of him. He slowly walked forward, the memories of the final fight with Ganon flooding his mind. He walked to the end of the street and began climbing the small set of stairs that led towards the building. He walked through the small, flower covered yard and finally pushed the doors to the temple open.

The door briskly closed behind him and he walked forward to the small, raised part of the temple. He walked to the center of it and looked down at the raised hexagon. On it sat black marble that formed the shape of one triangle, split into four smaller, equal size triangle, with the exception of the middle triangle being white marble. It was the Triforce. The rest of the pedestal was marked with various lines and shapes that made up what Link had come to know as the Light Medallion.

At the front of the temple sat a black altar. There was writing on it and three empty slots that sat untouched on it. But Link knew what was supposed to fit into those slots. And he also knew what would happen if he were to place the three stones he had known were supposed to fit into the slots.

But he didn't want to do that... ever again.

He walked over to the side of the room, his footsteps echoing in the empty room, in which the ceiling continued on until it disappeared in darkness above. He turned his body around, allowing his back to hit the wall, took off his shield from his bag, and slid down onto the ground. He bent his legs up... and began crying.

He cried quietly in the empty room until the sun finally raised high enough to allow light to filter in. He wiped his eyes of the last few tears and willed himself to get up to his feet. They would probably be looking for him soon and he didn't want to be anywhere near the castle when they did.

He got up to his feet and turned to his side to grab his shield. When he got back up, a rather chunky man, wearing yellow robes, a red scarf that extended down to his waist, and had a large, white mustache stood in front of him.

"Goddesses!" he yelled, jumping in the air as he had been surprised to see him suddenly appear in front of him. "Sorry, you just scared me was... Rauru?" His brows suddenly burrowed in confusion.

The man nodded his head slightly.

"Do you... do you remember?"

Again, the man nodded his head slightly up and down.

"We all remember, Link," he stated, in his low, dry voice.

The boy in green turned his head away and stared at the door that would lead him out towards the Bazaar, which at this time had begun to buzz with life.

"That's not true."

"But it is, Link."

He turned his head back to face the man, slight anger showing on his face.

"Then would you care to explain why they don't seem to when they talk to me? She sent me back to become a boy again," the boy said, referencing Zelda, "I grew up in Kokiri Forest again but Saria never talked once about what had happened before. I brought it up to her many times but she always just told me that none of it ever happened, that it was all just my mind imagining it. I left the forest eventually and went to talk to Darunia and Ruto but they all just told me I was crazy. And Ruto kept trying to make me her fiancé again! Do you know how crazy that fish is? But I still carried some hope with me after that and made my way to the castle. I had to know if she remembered or not. I snuck in and met Zelda... but she didn't remember either. I thought maybe she was just playing some sort of... cruel joke on me... but then Impa came and tackled me to the ground and that's when I realized that no one remembered. I realized I was the only one who was lucky enough to carry the burden of having known that Hyrule had all but diminished once. I was the only one who had to remember all the people that had practically died in my hands, all the children that were slaughtered in front of me..." He paused as a tear had formed in his eye and had begun to fall along his cheek. "How do I know that you even remember what happened?"

Rauru looked down at the boy, feeling pity for him.

"I remember it all, Link. And I could not bear the risk others did of forgetting... because I have to make sure it never happens again. I have to make sure that Ganondorf never escapes from the Sacred Realm so that you never have to venture all of Hyrule to awaken sages, to make sure you don't have to constantly risk death with every step you make trying to do so. I want to make sure Hyrule will be able to prosper forever and I want to make sure no person will ever have to step in your shoes to try and save Hyrule again. And Link... they do remember..."

Link was about to open his mouth when he suddenly saw Darunia, Ruto, Nabooru, Saria, and even Impa, all suddenly appear next to Rauru.

"Link, they all remember but... I guess it's time I tell you why they acted as if they didn't."

Link walked up to Saria and just stared at her curiously. She smiled gently at him, like she always had. Her green hair and brown eyes met his blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Hi Link." she finally said, breaking the silence between them.

"Link, we all do remember but..." Rauru stated, grasping his attention once again. "Link, only you were sent back in time to relive your childhood. So, in this timeline you currently live in, it's as if everything that happened in your past, Ganondorf taking the crown, destroying Castle Town, and taking over all of Hyrule, never happened. So, all of the inhabitants of this timeline don't remember it ever happening."

"But, you're saying all of you in front of me remember what happened yet I talked with you Darunia, just last week and you seemed to think I was crazy when I brought up the story of Dodongo's Cavern being shut off from the gorons. And Saria, I had to grow up all over again and you always told me that it was my imagination telling me that Ganondorf was real. You told me none of that ever happened!"

Saria looked at him with the same motherly look she always looked at him with, but there was a stray tear in her eye.

"Link, like Rauru said, you were the only one sent back, which means you met a different version of me."

Link looked at her with a confused look, not understanding what she had just said.

"Link, as sages, we are sworn to protect Hyrule forever... but when Zelda sent you back, she inadvertently created two, parallel universes. The one you exist in, where Ganondorf never took over Hyrule, and one where you defeated him in a grand fight in the rubble of his castle, one where you are praised as the Hero of Time. But like I said, you were the only one sent back... well... I guess that's not entirely true either. Somehow, the ocarina's magic also sent Ganondorf back in time with you but do not fear... he is still locked away in the Sacred Realm. Do you understand everything I have said here so far?" Rauru asked the boy in front of him.

"So, I'm the only one here that remembers everything that happened because even though your physical appearances are here with me, they are all just replicas of you all, created by the creation of this second timeline Zelda created. So they can't remember anything that happened because to them, nothing ever did. But... if you all exist in another time, then how are you able to be here right now? How is it you all are able to break that barrier dividing the two universes and be able to talk to me right now?"

"Well, as sages, we are sworn to protect Hyrule from danger and chaos. But when Ganondorf was sent here with you, that created a big problem. Because only one universe can exist, it will only allow one to survive. It will only allow the one in which the stronger presence of light exists."

"So that means one of the worlds will eventually just... fade away? Cease to exist?"

This time, it was the grown up version of Ruto that answered his question.

"Exactly Link. But there is something more to it than just that. It was unknown to us at the time, but when Zelda decided to end you back, she knew all of this would occur. So, even though you persisted that you didn't want to go back in time, she knew that by doing so, it would create two worlds and she knew that only the one with more light in it would survive. So, she thought that by sending you back, since only you would be present in this world, that this world would go on to survive, and that her, along with all the others from that timeline would cease to exist. Which meant that Ganondorf sealed away in the Sacred Realm she lived in would also disappear."

"But none of us know why he was sent back along with you." Nabooru added.

"But I don't get why that's a bad thing? He's here which means that regardless, he will disappear here along with me, won't he?"

When no one answered him immediately, he became increasingly worried. Impa was the first to finally speak up.

"That's what we all thought but..."

"But what?"

"But Ganondorf has created too much darkness in the other realm to be overturned."

Link immediately perked up when he heard this voice. It was soft and sweet and something he had grown incredibly fond of hearing before he was sent back. He spun around to look behind him and there stood the closest thing to an angel Link had ever seen.

"Zelda?"

She smiled politely at the boy. Though he had been sent back and still presently lived in the body of a boy, Zelda had retained her eighteen year old self.

"Yes Link... it's me. Link, I'm sorry for sending you back but... I thought my plan was going to work... but it didn't because too much darkness was born because of Ganondorf here. So, even though he was taken to your realm, the light in which you hold cancels out with the darkness in Ganondorf's heart. But the reason your realm will survive is because this Hyrule has more light spirit than the Hyrule you saved. However... Link, there is a way to still vanquish Ganondorf in the realm of darkness. Us sages realized this and quickly did the only thing we could do before... before... Link... once I sent you back, two parallel universes were born... but since yours would be eighteen years behind, since that is how far I sent you back, our realm was forced to freeze and wait for your realm to catch up... Us sages, in order to one day relay all of this to you, took on our spirit form before our universe would freeze, which is how we are able to be here; we are talking to you here but exist in the other realm. But Link... once you reach the age of seventeen, once your world becomes the same age as ours that is when the deciding factor will occur... that is when one of the worlds, the one you saved, will disappear. But there is still a way for Ganondorf to vanquish with our world... but it will be incredibly hard and dangerous... and you have eleven years to accomplish it... that is... if you choose to take on this task."

Link looked at her, trying to soak in everything she had just said. He turned around, for some reason hoping the sages would all have a smile on their face. He wanted this to be a joke... a terrible, practical joke... but they were all serious.

"Zelda... I... I don't know-"

She quickly interrupted and for the first time since she had talked with him, she smiled a warm, caring smile.

"Link, I know you can do it... that's the thing. When the Master Sword chose you to become the Hero of Time, I knew that you had been picked because of the immense amount of courage and bravery that lies in your heart. I remember the many times during your adventure when you found yourself outnumbered, up against incredible odds... but you never once showed the slightest bit of hesitation or fear... you only showed valor and were ready to take on any challenge without hesitation. And now, I'm asking you to do it one more time... for all of us and for all of Hyrule."

Link stared up at her and slightly smiled.

"I will take up this challenge, whatever it is... but you first have to answer one question for me..." There was a slight pause, a slight hesitation as he carefully thought of the right words to use here. He finally turned his back to her, causing her to drop her smile and look at him with a worried face. "If I had to be sent back in time to create this dual timeline thing... then why couldn't you come back with me? Why did you make me have to face all of this alone?"

Zelda walked around Link, which caused the boy to raise his head and watch her. She walked over to Rauru and the rest of the sages and spun on her heel to face the boy, the hem of her dress swirling after her.

"Link, I just... couldn't... it just couldn't be that way..."

This answer did not satisfy the boy.

"That's not good enough Zelda!" he almost yelled at her, "Answer my question! Why did you have to leave Zelda? Did the time we spent together mean nothing to you? I risked my life in those temples for you! I fought and defeated Ganondorf all so I could see you smile once more! Did that mean nothing to you? I... I loved you..."

The sages had all disappeared during this speech, leaving the eighteen year old princess alone with the seven year old hero.

"Link... it just couldn't be like that..."

"But why?! Why can't you just tell me?!"

She then looked at him sternly, her eyes not wavering off of his.

"Because Link... because I didn't feel the same way towards you."

His eyes became wide in disbelief, his heart almost stopping right then and there.

"Zelda... that... that can't be true."

She lifted her head and her entire posture.

"It is Link..."

He looked down at his feet, the weight of the world seeming to suddenly fall upon his shoulders. They stood there in silence for a couple of minutes; Zelda looking down at him, Link keeping his eyes anywhere but on the spirit princess.

"Link, for now, us sages must go... but if you ever wish to speak with us again, then merely step onto one of these pedestals, either here in the Temple of Time or one of the other ones that lie in front of the other temples you came across during your adventure in Hyrule." Rauru said, the other spirits of the sages coming back into his view.

"And Link... you remember my song, correct?" Saria asked him. He could only nod with teary eyes. "That song is still connected to me so if you ever wish to talk to me, no matter where you are in this land of Hyrule, then please plays that song, Link."

Link nodded, and the sages walked around him, eventually stopping to where they had positioned themselves around the boy in a circle.

"We believe in you Link... You can do this." Rauru said.

"Wait!" Link quickly yelled. "You never told me what I need to do!"

Impa chuckled, making Link spin ninety degrees to his right to face her.

"I guess we didn't yet, did we? Well Link, are you familiar with the legends of the Hero of the Sky, the first hero of Hyrule?"

Link had heard of this story before. The hero and the Sky Maiden lived up on a floating isle named Skyloft. The Sky Maiden had fallen below the clouds and the hero went to go and search for. In the end, he had to go back in time and defeat an evil villain named Demise to rescue the maiden and free the land of evil.

"Well then, you are familiar with the fact that the hero, in order to reach the evil Demise, had to go back in time using what was called the Gate of Time?"

Link nodded, faintly remembering this small detail from the story.

"Well, we have belief that this device can allow you to travel between the two dimensions. Now, we are not certain on this but it is the only reliable resource we have left." Impa finished.

"The only thing is that we do know of its whereabouts. The Gate of Time from the Hero of the Sky era has been lost for thousands of years. The only people who know anything about its possible whereabouts are the Royal Family." Darunia stated.

"So then, why can't we just ask Zelda?" Link pondered out loud.

Zelda stood outside of the circle of the six sages, and walked forward to where she found herself standing between Ruto and Impa.

"Because I was never passed down any information about this... there was no time for that since my parents were killed in the Castle Town raid Ganondorf led when he attacked the castle. I had been the only one to escape so the secrets of the land that only members of the Royal Family knows about were never able to be passed down to me. But, this is where you come in. In accordance with old tradition, the secrets of Hyrule are passed down to the king's and queen's child at the age of sixteen, when he or she is two years away from reaching adulthood. This is done to prepare the child for the sudden event of the passing of the parents. The child must take over the crown and with it, its secrets." Zelda proceeded to say.

"So, how do I play a role in all of this?"

"I understand this may be difficult for you to do, given the conversation that just took place but... we... we need you to become close with the Zelda of your realm and try and get this information out of the king and queen and if that fails, then we need you to wait until she turns sixteen and squeeze the information out of her." Impa said.

He looked around at the all of the sages' spirits that encircled him and then turned back to Impa.

"What do I do once I find it? I mean, you said that I have until my eighteenth birthday to do so which means if I have to wait until Zelda is sixteen, and assuming that she is told right around her birthdate, that only gives me a year and half to accomplish all of this, since she is six months younger than me."

"We'll... cross that bridge when we get there. Until then... get as close as you can and try and get this information out. Call us whenever you need us or when you find out the location of the Gate of Time. Do you have any final questions before we go?"

"No... I guess I don't"

"Link, remember, whenever you want to talk to us, just step on one of these pedestals and if you ever just need someone to talk to... just remember my song Link." Saria smiled.

"Well then Link, I guess all we can say is good luck." Rauru said.

Link looked around at all the sages and just as soon as he opened his eyes from blinking once, they all disappeared, leaving him all alone once again, in the Temple of Time.

* * *

For the first time all afternoon, she was silent. I looked up from my glass to make sure she was still there and listening to my story (I honestly would've been just fine if she had zoned off or walked away entirely) and to my surprise, she was still sitting on her bar stool like she had been since I had first walked into the tavern.

She had been staring in downwards at one spot and her lips were sealed with a neutral look taking shape on her face, obviously taking in everything I had said. Her eyes only changed when she finally noticed I had stopped talking and was looking in her direction.

"What?" she finally asked.

I chuckled a little as the words slipped carelessly out of my mouth.

"Well, your quiet. You've been quite the chatty person this entire time but for the first time since we began talking, you're quiet."

"Well, it's just, that's a lot to take in is all."

"I thought this entire story was a lot to take in personally."

"Yeah but... the part before was all happy and what not but now..."

"Now it's sad? I hardly call this a sad story."

We both sat in silence for the first time all afternoon. I glanced outside and the sun was finally beginning to start its descent towards the horizon but it was still fairly high in the sky.

"You left the castle because... you... you loved her. You loved Zelda and the fact that she didn't remember you was why you left. You couldn't stand the fact that she didn't remember you, and therefore... therefore, she didn't love you back. That's the reason you left, isn't it?"

My eyes glanced at her then back towards my half full glass of Lon Lon Milk. I couldn't answer that question. A simple reply was all that was needed, yet I couldn't get myself to speak up.

She smiled compassionately at me and scooted her stool a little closer, suddenly much more interested in my story.

"So... the sages came and talked to you and whatnot..." I could tell she was trying to change the subject, yet did not say anything about it. "But I don't get something. You first pulled the Master Sword when you were ten, and it sealed you away for seven years meaning you were seventeen by the end of it, so why did you have until you were eighteen until it all went down?"

I cleared my throat, trying my best to appear as if the previous statement had not shaken me.

"That had me confused at first but the answer is rather simple. Yes, I was asleep for seven years and awoke when I was seventeen but by the time I traversed Hyrule to awaken all the sages and had my final fight with Ganon, my eighteenth birthday had rolled around. In fact, the very next day after the fight would've been my birthday but Zelda sent me back in time as the clock ticked midnight on my birthday. So... I had until then to do what the sages asked of me."

"So..." I was really getting irked by her constant use of that word. "After that, what'd you do? I'm guessing you rushed back to the castle at that very moment?"

"Actually... that's not at all right."

This made her curiously cock her head slightly, which made her look, I must say, rather cute.

"I actually headed straight for the exit."

* * *

Link took one last look at the building behind him and finally turned his head away from it... and ran. It was still early in the morning; the sunlight barely reaching the town, yet the bazaar was as bustling as ever. He pushed his way through the many people that inhabited the market already, eliciting, on more than one occasion, a yell of surprise and anger. "You stupid kid!" and "Numbskull!" being only some of the more appropriate phrases shouted out at him. Nevertheless, he continued running through the crowd until he reached the drawbridge.

There was already a small group of people gathered here, awaiting the six o'clock bells to ring out from atop the Temple of Time so that the guards would lower the drawbridge and allow commerce to enter and exit Castle Town.

The wait was not too long, only about fifteen minutes, yet it felt like forever to Link. By the time the bells did ring out through the skies, many wagons had also pulled up to the bridge carrying a variety of things ranging from pumpkins, to shields, to bombs, to masks.

With a large thud, the bridge fell swiftly to the ground and the many people and wagons began making their way across along with a hero who's deeds none remember.

* * *

Thanks for reading and checking this story out! Let me know what you all think of it as I appreciate all the feedback I can get!

~PenguinForce


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

It had been two months since the mysterious forest boy, Link as he had called himself, had vanished in the morning hew. The disappearance had been unsettling to the king, queen, and nursemaid, for they had all suspected that there was more to this boy than what met the eye. But to the young princess who hadn't a single care in the world, she only felt like the disappearance of Link was the disappearance of one more friend she wouldn't get back.

In the time he had disappeared, very little had happened in the castle. The month of April had come and passed and the only significant thing to happen in this time had been the public announcement of the union of the Gerudo tribe of the desert and the kingdom of Hyrule. Then May had come which had meant Zelda was now another year older. They had held a grand party and invited many guests from all over the kingdom to celebrate. As per her mother's request, she was to stand at the door to greet every guest who would be attending that night. Many people came and all bowed before the king and queen. Some came up to her and shook her hand and she curtsied in response; however, there were many that simply ignored her altogether. She found this quite rude as after all, this party was for her, but knew better than to voice herself, because as Impa had stated many times to her, "a princess does not do that." And even though this was her party, her say on the guest list was non-existent. In fact, of all of the politicians, millionaires, and royalty that showed up, she only knew one of the families that did end up showing.

"Malon!" the tiny princess squeaked. She ran up and hugged her friend, the redhead hugging her back. The two talked for a short while but Talon eventually broke the girls up and told Malon to follow him inside. Zelda waived bye to her with a big smile and went back to her mother's side to once again proceed to greet guests.

Every time a carriage pulled up, her heart would leap for a second in hopes that the mystery boy would step out of it, but she eventually gave up hope. Coach after carriage would come and go but the only people to ever step out of them were large, busty men followed by pretentious looking women. In fact, there were hardly any children her age at this party. By the time the sun had parted ways with the land and had sunken below the western lands, the final carriage had pulled up and she was finally allowed to go inside.

The first thing the now seven year old princess did was sit down. She had been standing for a couple of hours greeting the guests and she had to do this all while in heels. Small ones nonetheless, but still, they were not comfy on her feet. She sat down in her chair, which was facing the rest of the guests in front of her. They all stood, most of them chatting in small circles of about four or five people and most of them holding some sort of alcoholic beverage. One of the servants had come and offered her a glass of water served on a tray, and she took the glass eagerly from him as if this was the first time in weeks she had drank. She put it down on a small table next to her, she began people watching and stared out into the crowd. The first thing that caught her eye was Malon standing at her father's side… but by the look on her face, she did not look like she was enjoying talking to the man her father had forced her to converse with. Zelda giggled and continued scanning the crowd. There were many faces she did not know, many people she did not wish to have with her, celebrating her birthday, but there was nothing she could do about this. After finishing off her glass of water about five minutes later, her mother and father walked over to her side and stood on their feet facing the crowd. Her mother gave her a quick sideways glance which she knew meant she wanted her to stand up next to her. She quickly jumped to her feet and flattened out her dress, making sure to look pristine and pure like a princess should, before picking her head up and forcing a smile on her face. The murmurs and chattering of the crowd quickly died down as all eyes focused on her and her parents.

"First and foremost, I would like to thank you all for coming to the castle today to celebrate this special occasion, our daughter, the princess of Hyrule's, seventh birthday," her father spoke out and the reaction was a small round of applause which Zelda responded to by smiling and curtsying.

"Now, one more thing we would like to say before we feast for tonight is what does this have to do with Link?"

Zelda cocked her head curiously at her father, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"I said-"

* * *

"What does this have to do with Link?"

I looked at her with a straight face, at first annoyed that she once again interrupted my story, but my face lightened up and I smiled and chuckled a little.

"I guess you're right… for once." I added in the last part under my breath.

"What'd you say?" her perky self asked me.

"Nothing," I quickly responded. "But I guess I can skip ahead a little."

"Yeah, because right now, this story is beginning to put me to sleep."

I opened my mouth to respond but was quickly shut down.

"No, I want you to keep going with it still. I'm not actually that tired."

She had clearly known what I was about to say. '_Smart girl,' I thought to myself._

"Well, since you so badly want to hear this thing out, I guess I'll keep going… though I'd rather not."

"Well, too bad! You started it already, you can't just stop in the middle!"

I rolled my eyes, half expecting this action to emit a reaction from her but to my surprise, it didn't.

"By the way, how do you know all of this stuff?"

I took a swig out of the glass in front of me. With all of the questions she had already asked, I knew that by the time I walked out of this pub, I'd be drunk.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you weren't in this part of the story, the party part of it. This is all through Zelda's perspective and Zelda's eyes. How do you know all of this if you weren't there?"

"Good question. Now, if you'd be so kind to allow me to finish-"

"But you didn't answer my question!"

"And you didn't allow me time to answer it. You know, sometimes it takes more than a single sentence to answer questions. Sometimes the answer needs an explanation."

She didn't say anything back.

"Anyway, I'll fast-forward a couple of hours."

* * *

"You're awfully quiet tonight. You usually give me such a headache trying to get you to go to sleep after one of your parties."

Zelda quietly walked behind her nursemaid in her pretty, pink, silky dress she had worn for the celebration.

"Did you not have fun?"

"I did." She lied. But, to be fair, it was hard for a seven year old girl to have fun at a party where the average age was in the mid-forties but she was used to this. Most of the parties she had had in her life were usuall like this. In fact, she could not remember having fun at a single one.

The two walked slowly down the many corridors and hallways until they finally made it to her room.

"Impa, since it is my birthday, can I stay up just a bit longer? I just want to sit on the balcony for a little is all."

"I suppose I'll let you, but only because it's your birthday," she said winking at her.

Zelda smiled and thanked her before walking in to her room. Impa closed the door and walked away, allowing the little princess to have some alone time on her special day. Zelda kicked off her shoes and walked towards her vanity and took out the miscellaneous things stuffed in her hair to make it hold in place. Once her hair was free from its imprisonment, she walked over to the door that led to the small balcony just outside of room and sat down on the small bench placed right next to the railing. She folded her arms over themselves on the railing and rested her head on them as she gazed out at the Castle Town lights. The entire city seemed to be celebrating her birthday and the noise emitting from the town's square below was evidence for this. Her gaze then wandered out past the city walls, out into the open fields of Hyrule. How she would love to go run amok in those fields one day and explore the land she would soon rule. The only place she had ever been outside of Castle Town was Kakariko Village, which they visited once or twice a year. She loved those trips because it gave her an opportunity to get out of the royal walls. Her favorite part of those trips was the small hikes she would be allowed to take on the Death Mountain Trail. She had been told that the trail could get to be very dangerous if she ever ventured too far from the village so she only walked about a quarter mile on it before being forced back. One day, when she was fully grown and an adult, she would walk all the way to the top and look down at all of Hyrule. She wanted to see the forests to the south, she wanted to watch the sun rise over Lake Hylia in the crisp mornings and watch the purple hews being paint over the sky as she watched the sun set in the cool desert evenings, that's what she wanted more than anything else.

A smile began to grow on her lips as she closed her eyes and imagined what it would look like from the top of the mountain. She would probably be able to see everything from up there and no one would-_CLANK!_

Her eyes bolted open when she heard the sudden sound next to her. She looked down to see what had made that sound and found a small deku seed. She bent down to pick it up and examined it then looked up into the sky. It was clear as far as she could see but maybe a bird had dropped it and- _CLANK!_

Another seed had slammed into the stone railings of the balcony and this really began frightening her. Her eyes frantically searched all over for origin of these mysterious seeds and it wasn't until she finally heard the clattering of footsteps on the roof that she began to really grow nervous.

"Like your gift?"

"L… Link? Is that you?"

"Yup!" he slid down the roof of the castle like he was surfing some sort of wave and jumped into the dark spot of the balcony, where the shadow created from the dim light coming from her room hid him.

"You really should have the security at the castle relooked at. This is the second time I've snuck in. But anyways, happy birthday my fair princess!"

He bowed and held out his hands to display to her a piece of wood that split into two about two thirds of the ways up. Connecting the two ends that were apart from each other was a piece of string with a small leather square in the middle of it.

"A slingshot?"

"I know it's not, you know, something great and grand that you'd give to royalty but-"

Zelda pulled him out of the shadow and into a hug. She then retreated back and snatched the slingshot out of his hands.

"It's perfect! I've always wanted one! Every year all I get are a bunch of things I don't even know how to use and sometimes, I don't even know they even some of the things are supposed to be! Sometimes, I wonder if the gifts are really for me or my parents. But for once, someone actually thought about pleasing me and not them! Thank you so much Link!"

She gave him another quick hug and then began examining the toy.

"Hey Link, can I ask you a question?"

He sat down on the bench and began staring outwards.

"Sure. You know, you are a lot more talkative than last time."

She replied to this comment by stick her tongue out at him.

"That's because I was only six years old back then. I'm older now!" He chuckled slightly at that comment. "Anyways, Link, the question I wanted to ask you is… why did you leave?"

He continued staring out at first, but eventually hung his head in front of him.

"It's because I… I was just scared. I had a lot going on in my head and I was just scared."

"What were you scared of? My parents let you stay here. They weren't mad at you at all! And if you were scared of monsters or something, well you shouldn't be because this is the safest place in the entire Hyrule! Nothing can attack us here."

Link smirked and chuckled.

_'__If only you knew what a madman could be capable of'_ was what he thought.

"Zelda, it's not that… it was something else. I don't think you'll understand."

She finally stopped examining the slingshot and went to go sit down next to him.

"Was it… because of me?"

Zelda looked into the eyes of the boy, waiting for a response, but it never came. The small smile on her face began to falter slightly as she drew her eyes off of his and slowly moved her gaze downward, creating an awkward silence between the two.

"It's not because of you, it's because of…" Link trailed off, unsure how to improve the situation. "Hey Zelda, you want to try out your new present? I can teach you how to use it."

The young princess's expression changed almost instantly as she jumped to her feet and grabbed the slingshot from next to her.

"Oh yes!" she almost shouted, completely forgetting about the previous situation.

"Okay, let me see it for a sec."

She passed him the weapon and grabbed it from her.

"Okay, see that fat man getting into the carriage down there?"

Zelda giggled and peered out over the railing, nodding her head when she spotted him.

"Watch this."

Link pulled back on the string and let it go, sending a deku seed he had placed in there flying at the man fast. It hit him in the belly and bounced off of him. The man suddenly shouted out and began looking all over the place for what could've hit him. He suddenly jerked his head up and looked right at the balcony. He would've seen Zelda laughing if it wasn't for Link grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling her down behind the pillars to hide from him, all the while trying to keeping their laughing at a low volume by covering their mouths.

"Okay, now your turn. This is good target practice."

Zelda eagerly grabbed the slingshot out of his hand and instantaneously drew back on the slingshot. She closed one eye and aimed carefully down at another one of the partygoers exiting the castle. She immediately let go of the toy and watched as the seed flew directly into the folds of skin adorning the neck of the man. He flinched and turned around to see what had hit him and where it had come from, but Link and Zelda had already ducked out of site, both laughing uncontrollably as he handed her a handful of seeds and waited for their next target.

* * *

"So we sat there on her balcony for a good half hour shooting these fat millionaires in the belly. I'm fairly certain that she ended up hitting a couple in the head. I tried not to but I may or may not have accidently purposely hit a few in the behind too."

"Oh I totally believe you! You would never do something like that," she said winking at me. I laughed at her and for the first time that evening, found myself enjoying her company. "That's really cute though Link… what happened afterwards? Did you end up staying at the castle?"

* * *

"I should get going. Impa said she would be back in a half hour and I don't want her catching me here."

Zelda flung one last seed from the slingshot and jumped down from the bench after successfully seeing another bullseye in the belly.

"Yeah, after what happened last time too. Impa is a sweet lady, she's just really protective of me. You're going to stay though, right Link?"

"I don't know if I can Zelda."

"Why not? Is it because of the thing you wouldn't tell me about earlier?"

"Yes… and no. I just… I need to be out there."

Zelda looked at Link, her large, beautiful eyes, filled with the innocence of childhood.

"Please Link? Since it's my birthday, you have to listen to me!"

Link looked at her then turned his head away from her.

"I'm sorry Zelda. I just can't right now."

To her surprise, he immediately jumped onto the bench, then onto the railing, before finally jumping back onto the roof.

"Zelda, I'm sorry but I can't stay here just yet."

She looked down, feeling sadness, feeling bitterness, feeling… hatred.

"Zelda, I-"

"Just go away Link!" she screamed at him. "Last time, I didn't get to even say good bye to you, and then you don't show up for another two months and now you can only spend a couple of minutes with me before you have to go?! What kind of friend does that on someone's birthday?! Just go away Link! I hate you!" she yelled at him and threw the slingshot at him. It hit him in the leg and landed with a thud on the castle's roof.

He looked out at her in disbelief, shocked to see her acting this way. He finally shook his head slightly and looked at her one more time.

"I'm sorry Zelda. I'll explain it all to you one day. I just can't right now. I'll be back in less than a month though, I promise." He turned around and took a step forward, only to pause. "Goodbye Zelda. Happy birthday." He then proceeded to walk forward again before finally disappearing from Zelda's view, leaving her standing on her balcony in a pool of tears.

* * *

"Wow, that's pretty low of you."

I just glared at this girl after her comment.

"I was pretty young, keep that in mind."

"Well, technically you weren't since you had already grown up to be an eighteen year old in the other world, so technically, you were-"

"Okay I get it! It was wrong of me to do that but give me a break. That happened ten years ago! The past is in the past. Just, let it go."

She looked extremely surprised at my sudden outburst and kind of slunk back in her chair. Great, now I was the bad guy!

"Look, I'm sorry. Its just..."

"Hey," she looked at me with kind of a twinkle in her eyes and with a smile so sweet, it could cause a heart attack, "you don't need to explain yourself. I shouldn't have pushed you so far so I apologize for that."

What could I say after that? Well, I didn't say anything; I just smiled at her instead as I tried to comprehend what had just happened. Gosh, why are women so hard to understand?

"Well, would you like to get on with the story then or what, Mr. Smiley Man?"

"Yeah, I guess I can. Well-"

"Wait a second, I have a quick question for you. You said you were gone for two months. Where'd you go? You said you just skipped town and left but where to and what were you doing? You know, you kind of suck at telling stories."

See, this is why I think girls are so crazy. One moment you feel like they actually understand you, then the next, they throw a curve ball at you and you begin to wonder why you even began talking to them in the first place.

"I'll get to it, I'll get to it. Just give me a chance." I went to scratch the tip of my nose and slightly shook my head at her. "Great, now I forgot where I was."

"You had just said goodbye to the princess the night of her seventh birthday party, promising to be back in a month's time."

"Oh yeah… well, about that…"

* * *

Zelda hated him for what he had done the night of her birthday. She had hated him for leaving her the first time around, she had hated him even more when he disappeared into the night sky on her birthday; so naturally, she kept a keen eye on the calendar, waiting for the days of the month to pass by so she could see him again. One week passed, then the second, then the third, and finally the end of the month brought on a new one and… nothing. So she decided to wait a little longer and keep her hopes up but before she knew it, the summer months came to a close and a chill began to take its place. September turned into October, Halloween passed by and soon, the snow began to fall. The days grew shorter and with it, her memories of Link. By the New Year's beginning, she had almost forgotten about him entirely.

* * *

"Zelda, what have I told you about leaving the door to your balcony open in the winter times?"

Impa walked briskly over to the girl lying gloomily on the bed in her room. Her feet lay a half a foot from her pillow, her head hanging off the end of the bed.

"I'm sorry Impa. I just like to go outside once in a while. The castle gets so boring in the winter times."

"I understand that princess, but that doesn't mean you leave the door wide open! Your room is freezing!"

Zelda only glanced at her momentarily before returning her gaze downwards towards the floor boards.

"You're only seven and you're already getting an attitude. I expect this to change missy. A princess does not act like this."

Zelda rolled her eyes at that comment. If she had had a rupee for every time she had been told that…

"I'll be back in one hour to help you get to ready to sleep." Impa said, suddenly walking out of the room, shutting the door gently behind her.

Zelda listened as her footsteps gradually grew quieter and quieter until they were no longer audible. She quickly jumped off of her bed and walked briskly to the corner of her room. She bent down and lifted a loose floorboard up only to reveal the slingshot she had received on her last birthday. She had already forgotten who had given it to her. In fact, she had only found it a couple of weeks ago laying dormant on the roof. Impa and her parents were not too fond of her having, as they called it, "dangerous toys" and therefore did not want to risk having it taken away from her; so she decided to put it in the only spot in the entire castle that only she knew about. This floorboard not only was the hiding spot for the slingshot, but also for other treasures such as her personal diary she wrote in almost daily or one of the only pictograph pictures taken of the great dragon that lived on Death Mountain: Volvagia. But most importantly, it held one of the oldest and most cherished possessions of the Royal Family: the Ocarina of Time.

The item of which she possessed held powers very few knew of. Even the young princess did not know of what it was possible of. She had been told to keep it safe and hidden in a spot only she knew of. When first told this, less than a year ago, she did not know why she had to keep it hidden or what the strange instrument even was but throughout the last couple of months, she had only been told that very bad men would try and steal it and that she was to give it to no one and she couldn't tell anyone about it.

But she didn't care about any of that at the moment. The seven-year-old only had one thing on her mind and that was how many soldiers she'd be able to hit from the balcony.

When Impa had reappeared in her room unannounced, Zelda immediately spun around and hid the slingshot behind her. Luckily for her, Impa didn't seem notice her toy. The girl quickly walked back into her room, making an especially big scene when she shut the door behind her which caused Impa to smile.

"Zelda, do you remember that boy from last spring by the name of Link?"

The second his name left Impa's lips, memories of her birthday night came into her mind, immediately reminding her of the origins of the slingshot she grasped now tighter in her hands behind her.

"Last night he was found lying in the courtyard and was taken to the castle infirmary. He is still hurt but he-"

Zelda's little body flew past the nursemaid and turned the corner outside her room, leaving the always alert Sheikah for once, a little surprised. Zelda ran through the castle, twisting and turning around many corners and only once running into one of the castle workers by accident. She felt bad for her actions as she heard the dishes clatter to the ground behind her but right now she had only one thing on her mind. She pushed against the doors to the infirmary with all her might. That was one thing she never understood about the castle, all of the doors were so heavy and she always had to put all of her weight against them to open them. But for once, she didn't mind because when she finally got the door to swing wide enough for her to turn her body sideways and squeeze through the crack she had created, she was immediately greeted with the site of one of her friends.

"Link!"

She ran over to the bed he was laying in and the big smile she had on her face suddenly faded and instead quickly took on a look of concern. The boy was covered in bruises and splotches of dried blood along his arms and had a big gash on his forehead above his right eye covered by clothe. However, despite the many injuries that decorated his body, he smiled at the site of the young princess at his bedside.

"Zelda…" he whispered to her, beckoning her closer to him.

"Yes Link?"

"I have something to tell you."

He motioned for her to come closer to him and when she leaned over him, her ear poised right above his mouth, believing he was going to be telling her a secret, he poked her in the side causing her to flinch.

"Tag, you're it."

And just like that, the concern that had adorned her vanished and she was back to her cute, happy go lucky, seven year old self.

"Hey that's not fair! You cheated!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Link only responded by sticking out his tongue at her to which the princess responded in the exact same fashion. The two giggled until eventually, only silence filled the room again.

"You said you were only going to be gone for a month, but it's already been like…" She paused, starting to count the number of months of his absence on her fingers but gave up and threw her arms back down to her side. "Well it's been a really long time, where were you?"

Link didn't answer but instead looked up at the cute, little, blonde girl above him and stared into her big, blue eyes, causing the young princess to blush and look away.

"Come on Link, tell me why you were gone! And what happened to you? Why are you all… hurt and covered in scrapes and bruises?"

"Oh its not that bad really. Just a couple of Stalchildren in the field-"

"Stalchildren?!" She brought her hands over her mouth and her eyes went wide in shock. "You mean the scary skeleton thingies that are in the field at night?!"

"Yeah but Zelda calm down, it was just a couple of them! I can fight them off! Plus, I had to get something they took from me."

Link sat up in the bed and reached into his small pack next to the bed. With one hand still inside of it, he quietly whispered, "Close your eyes." Zelda instantly shut them tight, her nose wrinkling a bit from her over dramatization of the act which only caused Link to chuckle. As he was beginning to bring his hand out, she opened her right eye just enough to see something extremely shiny being pulled out.

"Hey no peaking!" Link chided her.

She immediately shut her eyes tight but couldn't help and smile after having been caught.

Link picked up the object and placed it in his lap. He was about to ask her to hold out her hands but instead closed his mouth almost immediately and just looked up at the young princess standing next to him. She looked just the way she had all those years ago when they had first met. Her blonde hair draped down her back, her silky white, summer dress flowing just past her feet. She looked beautiful and innocent and pure, almost ethereal. She looked just like the angel he saw standing in front of that window all those years ago.

"Come on Link! I'm behaving! Are you gonna give me my present or not?!" she impatiently asked.

He simply smiled and looked down at the object he was holding in his hands. He couldn't give it to her yet though. He simply wasn't ready.

"Hey Zelda it looks like… I might've lost it."

She opened her eyes and pouted just as he was putting something back in his bag.

"I'm sorry, I hope you're not mad at me."

"Mad at you? Link you're one of the only friends I have! I can't be mad at a friend!"

Without hesitation, she sat down on the bed in front of him, cross legged and gave him a small but tight hug causing Link to turn slightly red in the face but nonetheless he returned the gesture.

"You'll be my friend forever, right Link? You'll never forget about me will you?"

Link only responded by pulling her in closer and hugging her tighter.

"I could never forget about you."

* * *

"Well what was it?"

"What was what?" I asked her confused.

"The item that you were going to give to her!"

I chuckled and took a small sip out of the bottle in front of me.

"I'll get to it later."

"Man talk about a cliffhanger. A really bad one at that."

I put the jar back on the table and barely twisted my head towards her.

"Well I thought that it would make this story more… enticing."

"Enticing?" she said lifting one eyebrow. "What is this, some story you're trying to market off to the public?"

I chuckled a bit at her response.

"Guess I deserved that." I said softly, much to her satisfaction. "Anyways, I promise, I'll get to it later…"

* * *

As much as he hated being stuck inside the dark infirmary, Impa forbid Link from getting out of bed for the next two days as his wounds needed time to heal. He wasn't allowed to put any pressure on his legs either meaning he was simply confined to the boundaries of his bed. And though one might usually find the list of things to do in this situation short, Zelda gave it her best attempt in making sure her new friend was anything but bored. As soon as she finished getting ready both days, the princess would rush to the infirmary and entertain Link to her heart's content until the sun would set over the land. Even though the young girl was the one trying to entertain him, she sometimes found it to be quite the opposite as she found herself enchanted by the stories he began to tell her. They were mostly about his life in the forest growing up. She found it odd that he would sometimes use strange rhetoric in the way he told the story, saying out of place things like "the first time" and "again" but she refused to think anything more of it. She was more interested in the stories anyways as to a princess who had lived most of her life within the walls of the castle, the thought of growing up without any expectations and being able to play all day in the wide open forest sounded like a fantasy to her.

On the third day, Zelda rushed over to the infirmary just as she had done so the previous two days but upon entering, all that was on the bed was a simple note.

_I'm sorry I had to leave this place so suddenly again, but I will see you soon_

_~Link_

She put down the note in disbelief. He couldn't just disappear again without even saying goodbye could he? After spending the previous two days with him, he couldn't just leave her shattered and heartbroken again could he?

She refused to think he would, but the proof was now crumpled up in her hand. Defeated, she began making her way out towards the courtyard. She wanted nothing but to be alone right now, and even after passing Impa who asked her if she was alright after noticing her glum state, she simply walked on and made her way to the courtyard. She was mad and sad and just didn't want to be near anyone right now.

As soon as she stepped foot on the grassy ground, she fell to the ground and began crying; she just couldn't hold it in anymore. Why did it feel like every time she made a friend, they would always leave her behind and make fer feel unwanted and worthless?

Eventually her eyes dried out, but she remained curled up in defeat on the grass for a little while. It wasn't until she felt a hand tap her on the shoulder that she finally wiped away the remnants of the tears that remained attached to her cheek, that she finally got up off of the ground.

Expecting it to be the gardener or a royal guard, she stood with her back to them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here and-"

"Why're you crying?"

Her eyes lit up. That voice… it couldn't possibly be… She turned around and open her mouth in shock, for staring right back at her was a boy about her age, clad in a green tunic with a funny, pointy hat on top.

"But I thought… the note said you…"

"Yeah the note said I would be back soon! I felt bad for losing your present so I went into town early this morning to get you something! Let me see your hand."

But the princess stood still. She couldn't believe he was there standing in front of him. She simply stayed standing there, still in slight disbelief.

Link kept staring at her but finally grabbed her soft hand after seeing she wasn't going to offer it to him. Zelda's attention turned from the face of Link to her wrist where she felt the sensation of something being tied around it.

"I thought about what you said about us being friends and realized, you need something that will always remind you of me." Link finished tying a simple beaded bracelet around her fragile wrist, "and hopefully, whenever you feel lonely, all you'll have to do is look down and be reminded that I'll always be there for you, no matter how far apart we may be."

Zelda lifted her hand and looked at the object now tied loosely around her wrist.

"I know its not much but-"

He was immediately silenced by Zelda's arms wrapping around his back.

"Its perfect Link. Absolutely perfect."

The two children, after their brief moment of solidarity, proceeded to spend the day just like any other child would, playing games and letting all of the worries of life slip away from them. And that night as the dark sky fell over Hyrule, the land's young princess fell asleep with a smile on her face, for an outsider like Link had made her feel on top of the world.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, its been a while for me and it feels good to be back. I haven't really written anything in over a year and a half and after my crazy life took a couple wild turns, it seems like its finally calming down and life seems to be returning to normal. Now I know my writing skills have probably regressed slightly in this long hiatus and I know this chapter wasn't perfect but I hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it. I hope to be returning to my fanfic life a little more and the odds of that happening are looking good. As always, I appreciate any and all feedback, positive or negative, as I truly value hearing how I could further improve my writing. This chapter was a little slow but hey, this story does fall under the romance genre so I guess that's my excuse! Anyways, I hope to see you all soon and thanks for reading!

~**PenguinForce**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"I don't like this…"

"But you have to do it. You know what's at stake."

"But no one else does… No one will ever know what was at stake then, and what they could lose now…"

It had been three months since the night of his return to the castle. He originally hadn't been all too sure how long he would be welcomed on the castle grounds and upon trying to leave the night after Zelda and him had shared their beautiful moment, Impa had stopped the young boy and insisted he stay a while longer as were the wishes of the king and queen. Link, after some thought, accepted this offer and was quickly accepted by the castle staff as one of the royal family members, at least that's how it had felt to the young hero.

In the three months that had passed, Zelda and Link had become best friends. The two spent hours upon hours laughing and playing with each other, and whenever the two would finally collapse on the ground, exhausted from running through the many halls of the castle playing their various games, the princess and her unsung hero would always make their way to the courtyard where the two would lay side by side as Link told her stories of his life in another land. She would often fall asleep during them, not because they were boring but quite the opposite, because the way he would tell these tales to her were beautiful.

Most days would often play out in this way. However, there were days where the two had to be separated as she was a princess after all, a queen in the making. Since Link's arrival, she found herself having to endure less time practicing and learning the ways of leading a land since but her mother would still beckon her into the greeting room multiple times throughout the week to greet and listen to the many citizens who came by bearing gifts and asking for favors and requesting various things from the royal family. It was only during this time that Link found himself alone and he would often spend this time in the place where he had first met the princess.

Link sat idly on the lowest step of the set of stairs that decorated the far side of the castle courtyard. He was leaning back, his arms poised behind him supporting his weight, his small, brown, wooden ocarina laying in the grass below him. In front of him was a ghostly apparition of girl Link had known in his other life so well, the girl who had acted as his motherly figure growing up.

"Saria, do you know what it's like? This is Zelda, there's no doubt about that. She's the same girl I met all those years ago, right here where I am sitting in fact. She's just as cute, just as full of life, much more childish than I remember I would have to say, though the situation from when I first met her and now is quite different which I may have to account for-"

"Link, what are you trying to say?" Saria said interrupting his mumbling. Link hung his head and stared down at a red tulip that was growing near his right boot.

"I'm trying to say that… I can't do this anymore. Whenever I'm playing with her, running around all day, or especially when she just stares at me while I tell her stories about the Hyrule I had to save, all I can think about is her…. Zelda. I see the girl who sent me on the task to save that world, I see the girl who threw me that blue ocarina as she fled from his grasp, I see the woman who stood by my side during my final battle with Ganon. But when I look back, I also see this other girl I've come to know in this life. I see this silly girl who is always giggling and happy. I see a girl who has so much potential to do so many great things in life… and I'm getting confused because… because they're the same person, yet… they're so different. And the reason I'm saying I can't do this is because I fell in love with Zelda…"

"And now?" Saria asked after a brief moment of silence.

"And now…" Link paused, unable to find the words. "And now… I'm starting- "

"Link!"

He immediately picked his head up and saw the seven-year-old princess sprinting towards him from the opposite end of the courtyard. He couldn't help by smile slightly as he watched the bubbly girl run towards him, almost tripping over her own dress on multiple occasions.

"We'll talk later Link," he heard Saria whisper into his ear. He looked to his right after hearing this, but his childhood friend was nowhere to be seen.

"What're you looking at?" the princess asked slowing down as she neared him, her head turning in the direction his was looking in.

He just smiled and after a heavy sigh turned his attention back towards the confused looking princess.

"I was just… Nothing..." he finally muttered.

"Um okaaaaaayyyyyyy…" she responded, her head spinning back in the direction of Link.

"So, how was it today?"

She exhaled deeply and plopped herself down on the grass just in front of him.

"Boring, as usual. People are just so needy!" she complained to him, to which Link replied to by laughing. This caused the annoyed looking princess to break out into a small smile after seeing his reaction. "What?"

"Oh nothing… you're just funny is all, did you know that?"

"But I'm not trying to be funny! People really are needy!"

Link laughed again and pragmatically looked at her.

"And Zelda, you're trying to tell me that you're not?"

She tried to think of a comeback to reply to him with but couldn't and instead resorted to simply sticking her tongue out at him which only caused him to laugh more at her silly behavior further annoying the little princess.

"Hey you dropped something!" she exclaimed happy to finally change the subject from before.

Link looked down and saw Zelda staring at the ocarina he had previously used to summon Saria. He propped himself up and bent down to pick it up. He clutched it in his right hand but as he lifted it towards himself, Zelda snatched it out of his hands and lifted it in front of her, admiring the finely crafted instrument.

"Hey this is… an ocarina right?" Link nodded his head as he watched her fiddle with it. She put it up to her mouth and blew into it, trying her best to play a tune but was far from successful in doing so. She tried many times but eventually gave up and frowned.

"Aw don't get upset Zelly! It's not an easy thing to play."

She immediately began giggling causing Link to look at her with a puzzled look.

"What's so funny?"

"You called me Zelly!"

"Oh… I guess I did. Sorry, it just-"

"It's okay Link! I like it!" she beamed at him. "You know, you worry about me a lot!"

He simply smiled at her.

"Well, it's because I care about you Zelly. You're my friend after all, right?"

The smile on her face only grew bigger as she nodded her head up and down. The two sat there in silence for a brief moment, not knowing what to say or do. It wasn't until Link asked for the ocarina back from her that it all changed. Zelda shot up to her feet and thought about handing it back but instead had a great idea pop into her mind.

"I'll give it back but… only if you can catch me first!" And with that, the princess darted in the opposite direction and turned the corner at the far end of the courtyard, exiting from Link's line of sight.

"Hey, give it back!" He shouted at her before jumping up to his feet and running after her.

Link ran as fast as he could, laughing at the silly circumstance he found himself in. He darted around the corner and found himself in the maze like room where he knew guards patrolled often. But this time around, he wasn't worried about being caught by the castle guards. No, his mission was to find the source of the giggling he could hear not too far away. He began twisting and turning around many hedges, ducking in and out of the many bushes in his way. He was just about to turn the corner of one of the hedges near the small stream of water he had first entered through when he bumped right into one of the castle guards. The impact caused him to lose his balance and the boy ended up falling to the ground. The guard looked down at Link who now sat sprawled out on the ground.

"I-I'm sorry sir. I didn't see-"

"Sorry you should be son. No one but the Royal Family is allowed on these grounds," the thirty something year old guard yelled at Link who found himself being grabbed securely at his wrists.

"But I'm not an intruder!"

"Like I haven't heard that one before."

The man, not buying what Link was saying, began dragging the boy towards the courtyard's exit.

"Listen, just ask Zelda and-"

"Do you have no respect for Hyrule's Royal Family? Tt is Princess Zelda to you, boy."

They turned another corner and Link could see the door to the exit only a few feet in front of him.

"No please, this is all a misunderstanding!" Link argued to no avail. "Please you have to- Zelda! Zelda help!" Link yelled out in desperation, hoping the princess would hear him. He continued shouting her name until the door swung open. He was shoved outside with such force, it sent him tripping over himself, his head colliding with the metal fence just beyond the door. A gash on his forehead opened up generating a small pool of blood to leak out. Link brought one of his hands to his forehead but winced as his finger made contact with the surface of the wound.

"Get up you worthless kid." The guard grabbed Link by his green tunic and yanked him to his feet, causing the cloth to slightly tear at his chest. Link, once on his feet, looked back slightly but was shoved forward again. He almost tripped again but regained his balance and began walking down the dirt road that led to the main streets of the ever bumbling Castle Town. "It's insignificant animals like you that make me enjoy my job."

Link snickered at this comment.

"Please, if it weren't for me, you and everyone you know would probably be gone in about two years' time."

"You better watch that tongue of yours boy- "

"Or what? Abuse your power even more than you already have?" the guard quickly straightened up after hearing this, a little shocked to hear such words come from youth like him. "How about you give me a sword and we duel it out right here, right now?"

"Are you threatening a Royal Officer? That is a federal crime punishable by- "

"No I'm not threatening any Royal Officer. I'm just threatening a coward."

He pushed Link down again, causing a cut on his knee to appear. He forcefully turned Link over and grabbed him by his tunic once again, further elongating the tear.

"How dare you call me that!" he practically yelled at the boy's face which was mere inches from his own.

Link looked up at him, showing no fear to the officer who was trying to instill some in him. After getting no reaction from the boy, the officer straightened his poise forced him on his feet again and pushed him forward once again.

"Hurry up, the sooner you're out, the sooner I can-"

"You know," Link interrupted, "I kind of regret feeling remorse for you after you fell trying to protect the people of Kakariko. You had become so popular there too, an icon of sorts, a symbol of rebellion against evil but… if only they knew the real you."

The guard looked at the boy puzzled as they made it around the final turn of the road, the castle gate just ahead of them.

"What're you going on about boy?"

Link laughed at him.

"You didn't think I'd recognize you did you? But how could I not? You stood guard over the Death Mountain Trail the first time I walked up it."

"I've never even been to Kakariko. Much less stood guard- "

"Not in this time you haven't… yet that is. I suppose I was ten years old back then and I'm only eight right now."

The guard was now extremely confused about what the boy was going on about.

"But where are my manners." Link stopped walking just as they reached the gate. He turned around and bowed to the officer who had thus far done nothing but give him physical pain. "It's nice to see you Captain Viscen."

"How do you know my name?" The guard uneasily inquired.

Link stood back up and slightly smiled.

"Tell me, how's your boy doing? Does he still like that Keaton character? I heard rumors of a mask shop opening up in town. Maybe you should get him something from there."

The guard looked at Link in total disbelief and at first couldn't think of anything to say.

"How do you know my boy likes… Who are you?"

Link only smiled back at him before turning around and walking out through the gate that had just opened up for him a moment ago. Link proceeded to continue down the path to the market place, leaving an uneasy and confused guard in his wake.

* * *

Something about this situation didn't feel right to her but there was nothing she could do about it currently. Impa had reassured her that Link was fine and probably just went to his room to get ready for dinner but she didn't think he would do that without notifying her, especially not in the middle of a game of chase. It just wasn't like Link to do something like that. Nonetheless, Zelda followed Impa's commands and readied herself for dinner and was soon sitting at the table in the grand dining hall, patiently awaiting the arrival of her parents, but perhaps more importantly, the arrival of Link.

A few measly minutes later, the king and queen entered the hall to which Zelda greeted with a smile and curtsy before sitting back down. The two began eating moments after the food had been brought to the table, but they immediately took notice of their daughter's lack of interest in the cuisine in front of her and the worried look adorning the young girl's face.

"Sweetie, why are you not eating? Is something upsetting you?" Hylia questioned her daughter, setting down the fork in her hand.

The door croaked open behind the princess's chair and she immediately twisted in her seat to get a glance at who was entering, her face suddenly full of hope, but upon seeing Impa's figure step through it, her expression reverted back to what it had been before.

"Zelda, please answer me," the queen requested of her daughter.

She sighed and looked down at the soup bowl in front of her.

"I'm sorry, nothing is bothering me mommy."

The queen softened her expression slightly, a small smile growing on her face.

"Zelda, look at me." Her head didn't move but her eyes shifted upwards just enough to see her mother's face. "Zelda, I may not get to spend as much time with you as I wish I could but I am still your mother, and I can sense when something is bothering you. Now please answer me again sweetie but this time, do tell me what is upsetting you."

Zelda's gaze momentarily stayed locked onto her mother's eyes but finally allowed them to fall back to the still steamy bowl on the table.

"Um… well it's… I was playing with Link in the courtyard and gardens again but- "

"Ah yes, I was wondering where that boy was!" Daphnes interrupted after swallowing a mouthful of cucco meat. "I needed to ask him if he would like to join us on our travels tomorrow for- "

"Daphnes, your daughter was talking and…" Hylia trailed off, hoping he would get the message she was trying to send to him.

"And?" But instead of receiving a verbal answer, he only received a stern look from his wife. "Oh right! Sorry dear, I didn't mean to interject."

Zelda smiled slightly as it always entertained her whenever her father would get "the look" from her mother.

"It's okay Daddy. You said we were going somewhere tomorrow?"

"Yes dear. We were going to be traveling to Kakariko tomorrow for Festival of Time. It's going to be held there this year and I was hoping your little friend could join us as I want you to have somebody to play with while we're there and you two seem to have grown quite close to each other."

Zelda smiled after hearing this, memories of the last two months played through her head all the while.

"Where is that boy anyhow?"

As fast as the smile had appeared on her face, it had disappeared. She didn't answer though and only picked her head up to look in Impa's direction as she approached the table.

* * *

"Okay so I'm just basing this off of your past characteristics and… let me guess. You left Castle Town again for two months and surprised her on her birthday again."

I just chuckled and fiddled with the cup in my hand.

"Makes sense that you'd come to that conclusion but that's exactly not what happened this time."

* * *

How could this happen? One minute they were running around playing with each other in the castle's grounds and the next, Link had been thrown out like a stranger, treated like someone who didn't belong there. Technically, they were right but in Zelda's eyes, Link belonged in the castle with her. They had invited him in to stay with them. He was their guest.

He was her friend.

"Hey Sweetie. How are you doing?" Hylia asked, shifting herself closer to her daughter as she rubbed her back softly.

It was a question which had an obvious answer. In fact, anyone who had observed the princess all morning could answer this for her. The usually happy and bubbly girl had instead been very quiet and reserved. Despite the best attempts from Impa, the castle staff, and her parents, nothing seemed to cheer her. And it didn't help that instead of being able to escape and run about castle like usual, she had to sit in a small carriage for, albeit, a rather short three hour ride to Kakariko Village; but on a day where she wanted nothing more than to run away and hide in a corner, she really was dreading the situation she found herself in.

After getting only silence from Zelda, Hylia wrapped her arms around her and pulled her daughter in close to her. "Aw I'm sorry sweetheart," Hylia said trying to comfort, her hands running through the girl's beautifully blonde hair. "But that's why Impa stayed behind remember? She's going to find your friend Honey."

Zelda sniffled slightly as she fought to hold back a few tears which threatened to leave her eyes any second.

"I know mommy. I'm just… I'm just really scared that they won't find him..."

Hylia pulled her in tighter before finally ending the embrace. She held onto both shoulders of the girl as she looked her directly in the eyes.

"Well I wouldn't worry sweetie. I mean just look at this little girl in front of me! She's… pretty, she's… funny, she's… ticklish on her tummy!" Zelda's mother exclaimed while reaching out and tickling her daughter's stomach, causing her to giggle slightly. "There's that smile I love to see." She finally retracted her hands and just looked at her daughter in front of her as the giggling died down. "I don't have a doubt in my mind that Impa won't find him. If anything, I would be more surprised if that boy didn't come back on his own!"

Zelda smiled after hearing this. Her mother always seemed to know exactly what to say.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said quietly, almost in a whisper.

"I know I will be. Don't worry dear, he will be back for you."

This time, it was Zelda who wrapped her arms around her mother causing her mother's smile to grow slightly more.

"Thanks Mommy."

Hylia finally matched her daughter's actions and embraced her once again.

"Of course Sweetie. I love you so much."

"I love you too."

Zelda finally pulled away from her mother and smiled as she just stared at her in awe. Someday, she was going to be just like her.

As if on cue, the carriage suddenly stopped causing the queen and her daughter to almost fall over. The sudden stop had also managed to wake up the snoozing king across from the two. When the carriage halted, they waited for a guard to pop in and tell the mthe reason behind this delay… but nothing happened. They looked out of the window but they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary and as far as what they heard, it was all silence. The princess opened her mouth to ask her mother a question but was immediately silenced by the sudden sounds of swords clashing and men grunting and screaming in agony outside their cozy little carriage.

The door suddenly jarred open and Hylia' motherly instincts kicked in. She grabbed Zelda by the arms and shielded her with her own body from whatever had opened the door. The king meanwhile, sat idly, unable to move from the slight shock he was experiencing from the whole situation. They both let out a sigh a relief when the familiar face of one of their most trusted guards suddenly stuck his head inside.

"Viscen, what's going on? Why did we stop?"

"A pack of lizalfos appeared out of nowhere and ambushed us. The few other guards are trying to fend them off," the captain explained quickly while the screams of the other men echoed in the background.

"Lizalfos? I thought they lived in the mountains and near the pits of Death Mountain. What are they doing in the middle of Hyrule Field?" The king frantically queried.

"I haven't the foggiest idea sir but for now, lock this door and don't open it for anyone but me," the captain instructed before slamming the door shut and running off to join his men in battle.

* * *

"And let me guess, this is where the valiant Captain Viscen redeemed himself for throwing you out by fighting off the pack of lizalfos and ended up saving the day."

I just smiled and didn't even turn my attention to the girl.

"Well, kind of."

"Kind of? What do you mean?"

* * *

Viscen looked around him, completely stunned by the scene that littered his eyes. The seven other men that had volunteered to accompany the Royal Family on their visit to Kakariko, including the carriage driver, all laid motionless on the ground before him, many in a pool of their own blood that continued to grow larger from the amount that still spilled out from the now lifeless bodies. He then turned and saw the four lizalfos responsible for this massacre. It was at this point, the moment when Captain Viscen drew his sword, that he realized that all that stood between the four lizalfos and Hyrule's most important family was himself, the captain of Hyrule's soldiers and guards.

Without any warning, the one of the lizalfos suddenly leaped towards him yielding what appeared to be a sharp dagger in its right claw. It swiped at him but he was quick to block it with his own silver sword. The creature stumbled backwards off balance from the Hylian's counter, but before Viscen could swipe at the lizard-like creature, another one of the lizalfos lunged at him from behind him. Sensing the monster's presence, Viscen quickly parried its attack in the knock of time, causing this creature to stumble backwards but just like last time, before he could get a chance to go after the off balanced monster, the third lizalfos moved into position to attack him and it was at this moment that he realized what their strategy was: They were simply trying to tire him out and once that happened, he would be mincemeat. He kept this up as long as he could until he noticed one of the four lizalfos had stepped away from the fight and had become increasingly curious about what was inside the ornately decorated carriage before it. But there was no way in hell he was going to let them get to the Royal Family. He would give his life up before he would allow that to happen.

As soon as he countered the next lizalfos' attack, he sidestepped away from the three and ran over to the carriage. He rammed his body into the lizalfos that had its claw scratching the outside of the carriage, knocking it over to the ground. For the first time that day, he saw the face of fear draped on the monster's face. He raised his sword above the creature's head and without hesitation, rammed it down into its skull. The blade crunched through its head and upon being pulled back out, the blood from the now lifeless creature began spewing out of the gash between its. He looked at the damage he had dealt and wiped the sweat from his eyes as he stood over the dead being, sword still clenched tightly in his hand. The outside of the once white and gold carriage was now vandalized with splotches of blood that littered the outside of vehicle.

The three other lizalfos momentarily paused after witnessing their leader fall at the hands of the Hylian in front of them but screeched loudly before beginning their next attack. All three were determined to send the mortal to the same place he had sent their leader. They began attacking him the same way they had before but this time, instead of only one attacking at a time, two lizalfos would simultaneously attack Viscen while the other stood ready to attack once the other two were set off balanced.

The battle raged on like this for the next three minutes. The lizalfos continued to have the upper hand and no matter what he did, they seemed ready to counter his every move. The lizalfos swung their daggers at him again and as he had done numerous times before, he countered it. He quickly stepped to his right to counter the next attack but instead ended up stepping on one of his fallen comrades. In doing so, he lost his balance and tumbled towards the ground. He hit it with a thud, his sword tumbling feet from where he was. He rolled over and looked up. Staring down at him were the three lizalfos each with their daggers in hand. As if on command, they raised their daggers at the same time and readied their final attack. Viscen closed his eyes and awaited the inevitable. He had lost and he was about to get his prize for doing so.

He opened his eyes after saying a silent prayer to the goddesses and was immediately met with a bright flash. He tried moving, he tried blinking, but he couldn't do anything. He had been temporarily paralyzed. He felt incredibly useless in this position and hoped that the same fate had befallen the lizalfos around him.

He began feeling something tugging at his shirt but the sensation suddenly stopped as soon as it had started. He laid there wondering what it was when suddenly, he began being dragged by his pants away from the group of monsters. Despite his best efforts to resist, this something dragged him maybe ten feet until it finally let him go. His eyesight began to come back and as the effects wore off, his vision went from blurry to normal He finally was able to see what had saved him and to his own disbelief, in front of him stood the same boy he had escorted out of the castle the previous day.

He smiled slightly at this sight but his attention shifted back to the lizalfos who all began screeching a few feet away. Viscen quickly stood up and immediately began searching for his sword. After unsuccessfully hunting for his weapon, he looked back the boy behind hoping he would have something for him. Relief washed over him when he saw his sword being offered to him by the boy. Viscen grabbed it and the two readied for the inevitable battle.

"What did you-"

"Deku nut. It temporarily paralyzes anyone caught looking at it when it goes off."

The two stepped forward, each with a sword in hand.

"Listen, I want to-"

"You're welcome for saving your life and about yesterday, let's just forget it ever happened."

Viscen smiled hearing this from the boy.

"Have you ever fought one of these Viscen?"

Still uneasy about how this mystery boy knew his name, he shook it off and answered.

"No I haven't. They seem very strong and-"

"Listen, these things are nothing. They move back and forth fast, but the key to defeating them is to keep moving yourself. Don't get caught flat footed. They may seem intimidating but remember, as you probably know from having to parry their attacks so much already, their swing is slow. Instead of countering their attacks, begin your attack as they began their own attack."

Viscen listened carefully and in that time, the three lizalfos had surrounded and Viscen stood back to back with the boy who had just saved his life.

"How do you know so much about combat with these things?"

If they had not been in the situation they currently found themselves in, the boy would surely have smiled after hearing this.

"I'm going to need to take a raincheck on answering you. For now, just remember what I said. We can do this. We have to do this."

"For the Royal Family," Viscen exclaimed valiantly.

The boy nodded in agreement and under his breath added, "For Zelda."

The first lizalfos danced around the captain, jumping from right to left lunging at him. It began raising its dagger but remembering what the boy had said, Viscen quickly thrusted his own sword forward, lodging it into the lizalfos' mid region. The creature immediately began squealing in pain from his attack. Viscen quickly brought his sword out from the monster's body and wasted no time thrusting it back in, this time a little above the previous spot he had slashed previously. The monster screeched one final time and collapsed at his feet below him. He took a second to admire his kill and silently celebrate his victory before remembering the other two lizalfos that were still no doubt attacking the boy behind him. He spun around ready to assist but to his dismay, all he saw was the boy standing over the two carcasses of the other two lizalfos. Viscen was once again left surprised about this boy only managing to stare in awe at him for in the time it took Viscen to kill off one of the creatures, the boy had managed to double his kill count. He began opening his mouth to congratulate the boy but became very dizzy upon doing so. It was only then that he felt a sharp pain in his stomach region and upon further inspection, he saw a large gash leaking out blood in his torso. He looked up at the boy who had taken notice of this as well and was already rushing towards him. As much as he tried to stay standing up and awake, he finally collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

* * *

The sound of clashing sword had finally ceased and all seemed silent and peaceful. They waited quietly in the carriage not wanting to draw attention onto themselves in case the wrong winner had been decided in the brawl. The king tried to look out of the window but it had been splattered in blood earlier and it rendered his actions useless. Hylia held the scared Zelda close to her as they waited patiently in the seemingly never ending silence. When it seemed nothing would happen though, the door to their carriage began to violently shake. Zelda screamed as she heard this but the queen quickly turned the princess's head away from the door and pulled her in close to her. The king and queen exchanged quick glances before Hylia looked down at her daughter and squeezed her tightly.

"Z-Zelda honey, I-I love you... I love you… so very much," her shaky voice whispered into the ear of the little girl as they awaited their inevitable end.

The shaking of the door suddenly stopped making the queen look up uneasily in the direction of her husband. They all yelled out in fear when a sword suddenly cut through the wood of the carriage breaking the lock. The king lunged towards the door to try and keep it closed but it swung open. He fell to the floor causing the whole carriage to shake from his collision with the ground. They all looked out the door and were immediately left stunned looking at the figure outside.

"L...Link?"

Zelda quickly wiggled out of her mother's grasp at the mention of his name and looked out at him. A big smile formed on her face as she jumped at him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I knew you'd come back! I knew you wouldn't leave me!" The excited princess squealed in his ear. Link gave her a small hug back but quickly separated from her and bowed in the direction of the king and queen.

Hylia quickly raised her hand. "There are no need for formalities Link." Link immediately straightened up allowing the the three figures to observe the many inflictions and wounds present on his body. "Is it you who has saved us from the lizalfos?"

"I only did what I could to help but I will explain this all later. Your highness, how far is Kakariko from here?"

"Not far. Maybe one hour at the pace we were going," The king answered.

"How long would it take if we were going as fast as possible?"

"Why do you ask, boy?"

Instead of answering, he ushered the king and queen out. Zelda, against her will, stayed back in the carriage as was the wish of her mother. The two took in the carnage around them as they looked over the battlefield and examined the bodies of the fallen guards and lizalfos before them. Link grabbed the queen's hand and pulled her over towards one of the soldiers displayed on the ground. When they finally reached him, Link let go of her.

"This is Captain Viscen. I aided him in defeating the lizalfos but he got injured in the process. We need to get him to Kakariko as fast as possible so we can save him."

"Link, this is a very noble and mature thing to do," the queen praised him. "You know this is the same man who expelled you from the castle grounds yesterday, right."

"It was all a misunderstanding I'm sure but that doesn't matter right now. We need to save this man. I don't want a good man to die because of my actions ever again."

"What do you mean by again?" the curious king asked after finally reaching them.

* * *

The people of Kakariko had gathered around the entrance to welcome in the Royal Family into their village. They had been planning a small parade upon their arrival, but as the sun began to set, the crowd began to disperse as their hopes to see the royal figures in their village began to dwindle. It didn't seem like the king and queen were going visit the village for the festival this year.

But as the last rays of the sun hit the meadow, a carriage appeared on the horizon and as it got closer, the crowd began to cheer in anticipation. Many of the local villagers had shown up to their entrance just to look at the grand carriage that carried the family in, as it was known to be a very grand looking vessel and certainly a spectacle in it of its own. The cheering suddenly stopped however when the carriage arrived at the entrance and slowed to a halt, for in front of the crowd was truly something strange and worrying. A boy, who looked no older than eight, sat control of the two horses pulling the carriage. Stranger yet, no royal guards seemed to be accompanying them. The focus then shifted towards the carriage as one side was completely covered in splotches of dried blood, ruining what was once a clean, white with gold plated exterior. The overall situation was not helped by the fact that the boy was also yelling out at the crowd asking for a doctor.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yay, you made it to the end of this chapter! I must apologize for the slow chapters though. I know it might not be super interesting and based on the reception of the last chapter, or lack there of, I know you all didn't find to entertaining either. I hope this one was better! Anyways, thank you to readers who went the extra mile to follow my story or add it to their favorite list. I really appreciate all the support I get! I can't thank you enough! As usual, reviews of any kind are welcomed and I will try my best to respond to them through PM. Thanks for reading and supporting me and see you all next chapter!

~**Penguinforce**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rumors spread like a wildfire in the little town of Kakariko. In one part of the village, the word on the street was that the Royal Family had been taken hostage and was being held ransom; in another part, the rumor was that one of the members had been assassinated on their ride over. The only thing that seemed to be common throughout was the mass hysteria caused by the atypical arrival of the royals.

The captain had been given a dose of red potion by Hylia during the remainder of the carriage ride to the meadow town; an action which had likely saved his life. He currently was in the care of a local doctor in the village. The Royal Family, after the initial panic had begun to simmer down, made their official appearance later that night and the festivities that had been planned originally kicked off.

Link, being the hero no one remembered, took on the role as the unofficial temporary guard of the family and stood no more than a few feet away from them throughout the duration of the festivities. Much to Zelda's dismay, Link took the role extremely seriously and despite the princess's best efforts to take him away from his duty and play, he stood guard until the family finally took some rest in the villa they would be staying in during their time there. Due to the massacre of the guards on the trip from Castle Town, the few guards, usually stationed at the Death Mountain Trail gate, stood guard outside the small house, relieving Link of his duty for the night.

It was well past midnight; the entire village was completely silent. The streets were deserted and no house emanated any light of any kind out of their windows. Link felt like the only one awake in the quiet village so he went to go and find company elsewhere. He gingerly made his way over to the graveyard, becoming shocked upon arrival when he saw that even the grave keeper he had come to know on his adventures in his other life, appeared to have enjoyed himself a little too much and laid passed out at a tree near the entrance to the site, bringing a smile to Link's face. Link pulled out the ocarina Saria had given to him when he first left the forest and played a somewhat dark and foreboding tune. He let the instrument slip away from his lips and closed his eyes as a purple light began to envelope him. When he opened his eyes, what seemed like only a few seconds later, he found himself standing atop the pedestal bearing the symbols of the Sacred Realm, overlooking the graveyard below him. What surprised him however was the figure standing in front of him, greeting him with a shy smile.

"Link, I must thank you for saving me," a girl dressed in a light pink dress addressed him.

Link snickered and walked towards her, planting himself down at her feet.

"Saving you huh? In this life or the last one because I'm certainly getting confused myself," he replied back, a slight tone of anger prevalent in his voice.

The princess's smile faltered slightly as she sat down beside the boy.

"What's upsetting you Link?"

The boy chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh, now you decide to ask!"

"Link, are you still upset about-"

"You know Zelly, I fought through hordes of monsters for you. I battled with monsters of the unreal and paranormal for you. If I had to count how many times I almost died fighting on my run to save Hyrule, I'd run out of fingers to use..." The two sat in temporary silence after his outburst but it was shortly broken by Link. "You know it's funny. You always told me how Ganondorf was such a bad and evil man. He tried his best to kill me that last day and I thought he would many times during that fight. But I never expected the one who would kill me inside, the one who would hurt me the most after all the suffering I endured on that adventure, would be the one girl I was trying to save."

Zelda sighed and put her arm around the boy next to her.

"Link, I did what I thought would be best for-"

"Oh don't give me that Zelly!" He practically shouted at the sage, shaking her arm off of him. "I could've stayed back to help you rebuild Hyrule. I wanted to see the land I fought so hard to defend, prosper once more."

"You're seeing it prosper now are you not?" Zelda calmly answered back.

"Zelly, I am but it's... it's just not the same, it never will be. I'm happy all the lives that were taken at the hands of Ganondorf get a second chance here, in this time, but it will never be the same. No one will ever know how lucky they really are to be alive. No one will know about the things they lost, the many lives ruined, the families torn apart. No one will ever know of the sacrifices I made to save the land and the people."

"Is that what you desire Link? Do you want a parade in your favor? A holiday commemorating what you did? Do you require fame and fortune? A reward maybe?" Zelda replied with a slight tone of anger.

"Stop twisting my words. I didn't say that," Link sharply replied.

The two sat there silently, only the crickets chirping in the background brought any noise to the uncomfortable scene.

"I guess... I guess what I really want... is you... I really miss you Zelly." Link whispered out. "I undertook the task not for Hyrule necessarily... but because I didn't want to lose you," He finally lifted his head to look at the woman sitting in front of him. "Zelda, at least answer one question for me... Did you ever feel anything towards me? Those moments we shared, were they all just an act? Did you ever actually ever care about me?"

Link looked at her as he waited for a response from the princess and only turned his head away from her when he heard the sound of twigs snapping behind him. When he brought his head back around, the princess had vanished.

With a sigh, Link rose from the pedestal and began turning around but stopped suddenly when he could tell there was someone else there. He drew his sword and with a deep breath in, he began twisting around ready to strike.

"There's really no need for that Link," a voice emanating from behind him said. Link smiled and immediately dropped his guard, recognizing the voice right away, lowering his sword. He turned around and saw Impa standing with her arms folded over one another looking down at him.

"You keep surprising me."

"Why do you say that" Link replied after a slight pause.

"Well," Impa stepped forward slowly. "When I first met you in the courtyard almost a year ago, I thought you were just like every other boy trying to sneak in to meet the princess. Naughty, mischievous, up to no good. But you almost immediately proved me wrong. You showed such courage in the face of uncertainty for a boy your age." Impa continued walking after reaching the point of where Link had stood. "When you disappeared from the castle grounds the next day, the letter you left on your bed seemed to not only surprise me, but the king and queen too, mostly for the fact that the words it contained didn't seem like they should be written by a boy your age. But what you did today really surprised me and showed me your true character. When I had first gotten word of an attack on convoy, I of course could only think of the worst possible scenario." Link understandingly nodded his head. "I need to thank you Link. It's because of you that that they are all here safely."

Link smiled but shook his head in disagreement.

"Impa, I just helped get the job done faster. The captain had it all under control."

Impa turned around and smiled slightly at the boy, a change from her usual serious facial expression.

"Please do not be modest Link. I just spoke with Viscen about an hour ago and he claims you saved his life. He claims that without you, today may have ended in a much darker way."

"Well, people tend to exaggerate the truth in times of peril I've found," Link nonchalantly responded.

"Link, being a member of the Sheikah tribe, very few things tend to occur that I am not able to foresee. Some of those I already listed for you. But one thing that caught me off guard so to say, was Viscen's other claim. He explained to me that in the time he managed to defeat a single lizalfos, you managed to defeat two single handily. I'm assuming this is true." Link only nodded, confirming what she stated. Impa slightly smiled at the boy and continued walking down the slight decline, finally making her way to the center of a ring of unlit torches. "This is a sacred place to my people. A place very few know exist."

Link, finally catching up to the Sheikah, chuckled lightly and stared forward at the wall where the path seemed to end.

"I unfortunately know this place a little too well," he mumbled quietly to himself, not intending for the ears of Impa to hear.

"It is only appropriate that I say the following at this most sacred of sites." Link turned around to face the Sheikah who had regained her usual stoic expression. "I doubted you many times. I worried about the impact you might've imposed on the princess. This is the reason I never fully trusted you, the reason I never let you out of my sight most days. But Link," the young boy turned himself around to face Impa. She stared right back at him. "You have gained my trust. It has always been the duty of my people to watch over and protect the royal people of Hyrule, and today, I fully recognize you as one of us and would fully trust you with the task of protecting the king and queen and young Princess Zelda."

Link stood there dumbfounded, not quite sure what to say. He stayed mounted in the same spot and position he had been in, silent, and looked at Impa in front of him, a small, grateful smile worn across his face.

* * *

I looked up from the table and glanced around the tavern, noticing the volume of people in it had dwindled significantly. My gaze finally returned to the girl next to me.

"You've been rather quiet," I stated in a hushed tone after a brief moment of silence. Her head popped up as a shy smile formed.

"Just... well there hasn't been a lot to say I guess."

"I understand," I mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Could I ask you a question?"

I fiddled with the now empty glass in my hands and didn't bother to answer knowing regardless of what I said, the crazy girl beside me would ask anyways.

"Why did you act so... cold with the princess?"

Laughing slightly, I replied, "Which one?" Causing a light giggle to escape her as well.

"I was talking about the grown up princess. Why were you so... rude in your demeanor towards her?"

My smile faltered and I sat totally still, choosing to stare directly ahead of me.

"I was mad... mad at her and what she'd done to me. Mad at the circumstances she had placed me in, mad at knowing the truth while everyone went around blissfully unaware of past events, taking everything for granted. It didn't seem fair. Why did I have to bear the burden of knowing?"

"Well... you can't really blame her for what she did. I mean, she was trying to do what was best for Hyrule."

"Oh, so you've decided to side with the princess now, huh?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I was only-"

"I don't get it. How could you sympathize with her after what she did to me?"

She stayed quiet, her eyes darting downwards, escaping my gaze.

"Did she even once bother to ask me about what I wanted? No!" I said, slamming the glass down on table in frustration. She jolted from my sudden action, clearly not expecting anything of the sorts to happen. "With one fowl move, she took everything I had worked so hard for and ripped it all away."

"She only did so because she thought-"

"Oh don't give me the same crap the princess had for so long!" I practically yelled back at her, interrupting what she was trying to say to me. She looked at me in shock before lowering her gaze, clearly hurt. I sighed in frustration.

Great, now I was the bad guy.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, finally apologizing to her after only silence filled our conversation.

She looked at me unsure and finally sighed. She stood up and grabbed her small bag on the chair beside her and turned around. She began walking towards the door of the tavern and as she placed her hand on the door, she shyly looked down. "It's okay," she muttered quietly before pushing the door open and walking out.

Not too long after, I paid my tab and walked out of the tavern too. The cool, crisp winter air hit my face immediately. I closed my eyes for a moment, taking in the quietness of the village. The town had changed greatly, grown much larger than it had in the other time. Kakariko was almost unrecognizable compared to the town I had come to know growing up.

I made my way through the town and slowly walked to one of the only features of the town that had remained the same throughout this town's existence: the small inn run by the friendly cuccoo lady near the graveyard. The inn was silent, and except for the teenaged girl manning the front desk, was completely empty. I smiled at the young girl as I walked by her and made my way to the room I had rented out here. I immediately shuffled over to the bed and the moment my head hit the soft sheets, I passed out.

* * *

The morning came too quickly for the hero. Though he would've liked to sleep in longer, a knock at his door said otherwise. With a groan, Link slowly rose from his bed as yet another knock greeted the surface of the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he replied with a yawn.

Link slowly walked over to the door, rubbing his eyes before reaching out and opening the door. In front of him stood a beaming little blonde girl who looked all too excited to see him.

"Hi Link! About time you got up! I've been waiting all morning for you!"

Link couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm to see him.

"All morning? What time is it?"

"Weeeeeelllllllll," the girl grabbed his hand and began pulling him behind her, "it's time for the festival to almost start! And I didn't want you to be late since, you know, you are the guest of honor and all."

Link cocked his head slightly after hearing this.

"What do you mean by guest of honor?"

"You've never been to this festival before?"

Link shook his head but the girl didn't see as she was too busy dragging Link away. When the little princess looked back at him, growing impatient from having to wait to hear an answer from him, he replied, "To be honest Zelly, I don't even know why the festival even happens."

Zelda reached the door to the small house and quickly opened it and walked out, dragging Link behind her.

"It has something to do with the celebration of the hero from a long time ago and how he saved a girl or something like that. I don't remember the whole story."

The princess picked up her pace once outside and dragged Link around the few buildings in the small village. They entered the main plaza where a large crowd had already gathered in anticipation of the start of the festival. The little girl began pushing her way through the many people in her way. At first, they seemed rather annoyed but after looking down to see who was pushing them aside, they almost immediately parted upon realizing it was the princess of Hyrule, some even bowing slightly to the young girl. The princess however, was too immersed in her mission to get Link to the front of the crowd to notice these formalities.

"So Zelda, can I ask you another question?"

She giggled and stopped for a brief moment looking back at him.

"Ummmm... no!"

With that, she was off again, dragging him with a force that Link found astounding for a girl of her size and physique.

"And why can't I?"

"Because!" She quickly replied in her childish manner.

"Because why?"

"Because I said so! Now hurry up Link! You have to be properly introduced!"

Link's brows furrowed slightly.

"Introduced for what exactly?"

Zelda, knowing she was just shy of her destination, let go of Link's hand and spun around enthusiastically, her light pink dress spinning with her.

"Well why do you think Link? You saved us yesterday! You're a hero, just like you always said you were in the stories you always tell me! And I strongly believe one thing."

"And what's that?"

"Every hero deserves to be recognized!"

Link froze at hearing this.

_Every hero deserves to be recognized_

He looked at the girl in front of him in shock.

Zelda had said this to him. Zelda _had_ said this to him.

* * *

_Link was still shivering even as he sat there basking in the evening sun on the small island in the middle of Lake Hylia. His numb fingers clawed at the blanket wrapped around him, trying to pull it tighter around his shoulders, but his actions instead caused the blanket to slip right off of them. It pooled on the ground around him and all he could do now was stare down at it in defeat and continue to shiver. He sighed in disappointment and turned his attention away from the blanket and towards the setting sun instead. He would never get used to watching the sun melt below the horizon. It painted the sky in an array of different shades of pink, purple, and orange; the sun's rays of light glimmered in the darkness of the few clouds drifting slowly by. It was moments like this when Link felt his calmest, and though the world around him had been torn apart, everything seemed, if even for just a minute, at peace._

_The blanket on the ground began to move upwards until it gently rested on his shoulder once again. Link's gaze shifted to his left shoulder where he saw a small, delicate hand hold the cloth in place. He followed the arm upwards until his eyes met a set of ocean blue ones looking down at him. This was another site he would never be able to get used to either._

_"You're still shivering Link."_

_Zelda moved to his right and gently floated down next to him. Her left hand gently rubbed his back while she brought her hand on to his right forearm. Her soft hand gently swiped back and forth against his cold skin._

_"I was in the Water Temple longer than I thought I'd be," Link murmured. They sat in relative silence for a few minutes, the princess continuing her gentle efforts to warm him up. "I'll be okay."_

_"I know," Zelda quickly replied with a small smile, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "But that doesn't mean I still can't worry about you."_

_Link smiled, continuing to stare at the sky._

_"We're almost done you know. This will all be over soon, Link."_

_Link slightly nodded. "And then what?" He asked, almost whispering this question to her. He had thought about this question too many times to count during the course of his adventure._

_"Then… Then we start over... Together, you and me."_

_Link stayed quiet, his mind empty for once._

_"Hyrule won't be in need of a hero anymore. No one will need me here anymore."_

_The moon's glow began to radiate over the horizon as the sun began its final descent. The chirping of the birds began to quiet as the ever familiar silence enveloped the two again._

_"I'll need you Link." Her fingers made their way up to his head and began stroking his hair, combing it with her fingers. "You're my hero after all and every princess needs her hero, her knight in shining armor." Link didn't speak, so Zelda continued. "We'll celebrate a day every year in your honor. I'll make sure Hyrule never forgets you Link."_

_"But I don't want any of that." He finally replied after some silence._

_"Why not? Every hero deserves to be recognized."_

_Link smiled and turned himself toward her. She picked her head up off of his shoulder and looked into his eyes, only inches from her own._

_"I don't need any of that though Zelly." He looked at her, taking in her long blonde hair and the dimple that formed when she smiled, taking in the way she smelled and the feel of her hands against his. "All I'll need is you."_

_Zelda's smile grew larger. She leaned in and kissed him on his cheek._

_"And all I'll need is you."_

* * *

I brought my hand up to my face. Even after all this time, I could still feel the warmth of where her lips had caressed me cheek. I could still smell her sweet scent in the air. It had all happened a lifetime ago but it felt like just yesterday to me.

"Um, Link?"

I snapped out of my trance and looked up in front of me. My eyes widened slightly, surprised to see the girl from the tavern last night standing in front of me.

"Hey," she smiled slightly at me. "I just... want to apologize for- "

I put my hand up in the air almost immediately, causing the girl to pause her speech.

"It's I who needs to apologize. I lost my temper last night and I unfairly took it out on you. As you heard last night, I've made plenty of mistakes in my life and I made another one last night. I'm sorry for the way I acted and behaved. It was childish of me."

She smiled and shook her head slightly.

"Some of that may be true but I'm not letting you take all the blame for last night." She extended a hand out towards me. "Water under the bridge?"

I smiled and stood up from my chair, reaching out my own.

"Water under the bridge."

I sat back down and watched the girl curiously walk around the table.

"May I?" She asked after making her way to the empty chair opposite of me. I gestured for her to sit down and she more than happily obliged.

"So... where were we?"

I laughed momentarily.

"Even after last night you want me to continue?"

"What are you talking about? Nothing happened last night!" She said with a wry smile, winking at me in the process.

I laughed and shook my head.

"Well, I believe we had just gotten to the Festival of Time."

* * *

He had never been a fan of standing in front of large crowds and now wasn't an exception either. The king and queen had praised his efforts for the day before in front of the entirety of Kakariko and though the ordeal lasted maybe a minute, it felt like eons to Link.

Link managed to step away from the crowd momentarily but was immediately ambushed by the young princess who beckoned him to follow her. Link had little choice but to follow as the girl had grabbed him by the hand again and dragged him behind her.

"Where are we going this time?"

"You'll see when we get there!" She chided, practically out of breath.

"Well slow down or you're going to-"

Zelda sprinted around the corner of one of the houses and collided with another little girl, sending the two tumbling toward the ground.

"Run into someone..."

Link reached down and helped Zelda to her feet before walking to the other girl who currently sat on the ground in front of them.

"No way... Malon! What are you doing here?!" Zelda excitedly screamed, running up to girl and giving her a hug as soon as she was back on her feet.

"Well, my papa decided to take me to the festival this year. We haven't gone since..." the redhead's smile faltered slightly but she almost immediately shook it off and went back to her smiling self. "Well, it's just been a long time since we last went. But here we are!"

"I'm glad too! You know how every time we're here... we do that thing?" Zelda winked at Malon, causing her to giggle and nod her head furiously up and down. "Well this year..." Zelda cupped her hands around her mouth and brought it to the little girl's ear. Link saw her whisper something into the redhead's ear which caused Malon to look behind her excitedly and giggle in excitement. The redhead's gaze drifted back to the two and finally locked onto Link's. They looked at each other in awkward silence causing the little girl to blush and look away.

"Oh Malon! This is my new friend! His name is-"

"Fairy Boy! I didn't think you'd be here!"

Zelda looked at Link a little surprised.

"I didn't know you two knew each other."

Link opened his mouth to reply but Malon's voice was what was heard next.

"Well of course we know each other! I mean, he did live with us for like four months earlier this year!"

Zelda's smile quickly faded.

"Oh... I didn't know that."

"Yeah! It was like a month after your birthday party last year. He was so much fun to have around! We played on the ranch like all day and he would even do some of my chores for me!" She almost incoherently said, too busy giggling at the last statement.

"Oh... you... never did tell me what you did between my birthday and when you came back." Zelda quietly mumbled. Malon went up to Link and wrapped her arms around him giving him a small hug.

"When are you going to come back?" She asked, unraveling herself from him. "I really miss playing with you!"

Link smiled at Malon's expression.

"I was-"

"Well he's living with me at the castle now," Zelda butt in. Link noticed her tone had gone from friendly, to slightly snarky.

"Awww, is that true Fairy Boy?"

Zelda did not like the fact that Malon had a nickname for him. To Zelda, Link could only have one friend, and she was determined to be the one to fill that role.

* * *

"This Malon girl sounds lovely doesn't she? A perfect girl!"

I laughed and looked at her with a sarcastic expression.

"You would think so wouldn't you?" I replied causing her to erupt into a small giggling fit.

"Well you want me to continue with this part or not? I mean, you know Malon pretty well and I know you know this part of the story pretty well," I laughed again, finding the whole situation quite ironic.

"I think it'd be interesting to hear this part from your perspective so why not?!"

* * *

The two little girls looked at the unguarded path in front of them in awe. Link on the other hand, appeared to be quite concerned.

"Zelda, Malon, you should not do this. This trail can be really dangerous."

"Oh stop sounding like Impa, Link! Let's have fun!"

"Yeah Fairy Boy!" Malon joined Zelda in chiding him. "Zelda and I do this every time we both happen to be in Kakariko!"

"Besides, we don't ever go very far but that's usually because Impa and the guards are with us. But because of what happened yesterday, Impa and the guards in Kakariko are too busy protecting my mommy and daddy."

"And Impa wouldn't be worried about you Zelda? You don't think she'd disapprove of this?"

Zelda hesitated in answering.

"No she'd be okay probably. Besides, she said that as long as I'm with either her or you, I'd be safe."

Link felt uneasy about her answer but before he could say anything to stop them, Malon spoke up again.

"Oh quit being a grandpa Fairy Boy!" Malon looked past Link to Zelda and smiled. "First one to Tektite Point is the winner!"

"Wait, Zelda and Malon. Make sure that- "

"Okay Malon you're on!"

"No listen to me Zelda-"

"One!"

"It's really- "

"Two"

"Hey, listen and- "

"Three!"

"No wait! Zelda! Malon!"

But the two girls chose to ignore the boy and simply began running as fast as they could up the Death Mountain Trail.

Zelda stumbled over a small pile of rocks allowing Malon to take an easy lead in front of her. She silently cursed at herself for tripping and jumped back up to her feet to continue.

Tektite Point wasn't a long way up on the trail and Malon easily reached the landmark first, cheering at her victory. Zelda followed up slightly after, pouting upon arrival.

"You cheated!"

"Did not!" Malon retracted. "You're just mad that I beat you!"

The two argued back and forth until Link finally caught up to the two bickering girls.

"Hey Fairy Boy! I won!"

"Only because she cheated!"

"I didn't cheat! You're just slower than me!"

"Am not!" Zelda stuck her tongue out at her.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"You're just mad that Fairy Boy likes me better!"

Link chuckled slightly at the humorous display. Zelda on the other hand, encountered a slight moment of panic as she watched Malon turn to Link and smile.

"Fine! Let's have another race and whoever wins will be Link's favorite!" Zelda spit out.

Link really laughed when he heard this.

"Zelda, calm down." He spoke trying his best to contain himself from breaking out into another fit of laughter. "It doesn't work like that. I like-"

"Deal! First one back to the village?"

Zelda grinned and shook her head.

"No... first one to East Dodongo's Peak."

Malon for once, didn't reply fast. Instead, her face froze when she heard the words escape the princess's mouth.

"Zelda, my papa has told me not to ever go past Tektite Point without him. He says it is really dangerous past here."

"Aw what's the matter Malon? Cucco?" Zelda started chanting cucco noises and flapping her arms like a bird, mocking Malon.

"No Zelda, it's just that I-"

"Zelda you are not going any further."

Zelda stopped her chanting and turned her attention towards Link.

"I've been to East Dodongo's Peak. I've been to Gordon City and I've been to the top of Death Mountain."

Zelda looked at him in disbelief.

"Really?"

"Yes Zelda." She was not liking the fact that ever since Malon had shown up, Link stopped using the nickname he had for her. "It is really dangerous and we're lucky we haven't run into any monsters already."

Zelda gave Link a look of disapproval.

"Fine," she twisted herself around and began walking back down the path. "I guess I'll just go by myself." She immediately turned her body to the right, changing her course, and began running up the path.

Link didn't know what to do. He could not allow any harm to come to the princess but he did not want to leave Malon all alone on the Death Mountain Trail as he would certainly not allow her to accompany him in chasing down the princess.

"Malon, I need you to return to Kakariko right now."

"What about you Fairy Boy? What about Zelda?"

Link began adjusting the gear on his back as he looked uphill, Zelda already well out of his line of sight.

"I'm going after her."

Malon looked at him nervously.

"Promise me you'll be safe and that you'll rescue Zelda."

Link looked back at the little red head.

"Just get back the village."

With that, Link began jogging upwards along the path Zelda had taken and after turning the first corner around a rocky overhang, disappeared from Malon's gaze.

* * *

Zelda felt a mixture of feelings as her feet carried her up and over the small boulder in her way: excitement, joy, nervousness, fear of what lie ahead. Despite all of this, she couldn't turn back now. She had made it farther than she had ever gone before and she had to prove to Link that she was the more courageous one of the two girls. She had to impress him.

Zelda climbed up onto one of the rocks and carefully made her way along it, balancing on the small flat edge of it before finally jumping down onto the smooth trail, her dress fluttering as the air tried to push against it. Her feet didn't quite hit the ground correctly, causing her fragile body to tumble down to the ground. She hit the rocky surface hard and just laid there for a brief second, the pain from the impact beginning to wash over her. The princess pulled herself into a sitting position and lifted up her dress up, just past her knee as she looked at the now open cut on her knee. She ran one of her fingers along it, slightly wincing at the stinging pain that accompanied the sensation. She brought her finger away from it and held her palms out in front of her, examining the scratches and small cuts that had opened on them after her tumble.

"Stupid rock," she finally mumbled rising from the ground and dusting her dress off. The girl turned to look at the rock that had caused the pain to befall her but suddenly froze, eyes wide in horror.

Sitting atop the rock was a short creature with a teal, rectangular body and grassy green legs, four of them to be exact. The body and legs were covered in what looked like short red thorns. It had a small mouth that housed sharp teeth and appeared to extrude a white foam like substance from its mouth.

Zelda cautiously looked at it, examining what it was while being frozen to the spot. She couldn't tell if the creature would be friendly or not but didn't dare get closer to try and find out. Zelda let out a shriek when the creature opened its one glowing, blood red eye. She tried to look away, tried to tell herself to run, but found herself enchanted by the creature's jewel-like feature. Her daze ended when the animal let out a sort of chirping sound and began to shake its four legs. Without further warning, the creature suddenly leaped high, seeming weightless as it floated through the thin mountain air. It landed only inches from the frightened girl. Zelda shrieked at the top of her lungs as she twisted herself around and darted up the trail, wanting to get as far away from the monster as possible.

She darted along the path, fear now the only thing coursing through her veins. She whipped around the corner and almost fell again as part of her dress caught onto rocky wall enclosing the trail. She tugged at it slightly, not wanting to tear it, when in the corner of her eye she saw the creature from before making up ground, jumping towards her. She screamed loudly and pulled hard on her dress, tearing it slightly at the seams, though this was now the last thing on her mind. She dashed further up the path and turned another corner, freezing upon the site in front of her. The trail slightly widened, and though the incline of the path here was small, a rocky wall on either side entrapped the path. Four creatures, just like the one from before, lined the path in front of her. They all chirped loudly upon seeing the girl and began jumping towards her. Zelda turned around to run away from them but quickly stopped as the first creature from before was jumping in her direction, occupying the entirety of the small path. She looked back at the four looming creatures completely panic stricken as they slowly made their way in her direction jumping their way there. She was stuck, there was no escape in either direction. She quickly scanned her surroundings, her head spinning in all directions, when she saw a small hole up ahead on her left. She quickly ran towards it, trying to make it there before the four other monsters, she now realized were called Tektites, could get there and block the opening.

She arrived at the opening and quickly fell to her hands and feet. One of the monsters jumped and landed seemingly inches from her but she did her best to remain calm and crawl into the hole as fast as her hands and feet could carry her. The Tektite began opening its mouth, its small, fang like teeth cutting through the white foam that pooled in its mouth. It leaped forward towards Zelda's rear, but instead rammed its face into the wall. The princess quickly brought her feet in behind her and turned to look behind her at the Tektite that kept ramming itself into the rocky mountain. Zelda did the only thing she thought appropriate and stuck her tongue out at the creature before turning herself back around and continuing her trek further into the hole.

The crawl space shortly opened up into a pitch black cavern. Zelda rubbed at her eyes, trying whatever tactic she could that would allow her the ability to see in the seemingly never ending darkness. She sighed in defeat and sat on the cold ground beneath her. Her breathing began to slow as she finally got a break from all of the action. Zelda pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and rested her head on her forearms.

She couldn't believe what she had just done. She felt elation for having made it out relatively unharmed. She felt joyous, for she had proven she could make it this far. But she mostly felt fear. She was stuck in a cavern with the only entrance behind her blocked by bloodthirsty monsters. She was stuck inside a cave off of the beaten path and no one knew of her whereabouts. She could get stuck in here forever. She could...

No, she refused to think like that. She lifted her head and took in a heavy breath. She had to gather her courage and use her wits if she was going to get out alive. Zelda picked herself up and began inching her way forward trying to navigate the cave to the best of her abilities. She had been walking for maybe a minute when she entered a different part of the cavern and saw light creeping through a crack in the wall. She stared at it and smiled. The hole seemed large enough for her to maybe squeeze through. She took a step towards it but paused when a sound echoed against the cavern walls. Zelda began shaking.

She recognized that sound.

It was the sound of a monster she had seen at a carnival in Castle Town once. She closed her eyes and made a silent prayer to the goddesses. She hoped she was wrong. She hoped that she was just imagining hearing that noise moments ago, but she was quickly proven wrong when the roar of the monster swept through her ears again, making them ring from the volume of the sound. She twisted her head to the left and opened one eye, shrieking loudly. For standing in front of the princess, illuminated only slightly by the crack of light coming through the wall, was a lizard-like monster she had seen at the carnival a few years back. Fear filled her heart when she stared into its eyes back then, and that same fear had doubled under the circumstances she found herself in now, for she knew that Dodongos were a fierce and violent species.

She stared at it, dumbstruck with terror as it opened its mouth and began inhaling. Zelda remembered what would happen after the creature finished taking a deep breath. She would only see a wall of fire.

All went silent, the creature stopped taking in air.

And all Zelda could do was await the inevitable.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Soooooooo what did you think? A little bit of Zelink, a little bit of jealousy from Zelda, a little bit of action... I honestly... I fell in love with this chapter as I was writing it. Everything just seemed to flow so well! Now, unfortunately, I am in this little thing called college and I have these easy tests coming up called finals... Sooooo I won't be able to get anything out until after the next two weeks end. However, don't fret! I plan to work on this as soon as I can!

Special shout out to all of the new followers and special shout out to all the people who added this story to their favorite stories list and to those who took time out of their day to review the previous chapter(s)! You guys really rock and you have no idea how much I appreciate all of the support! I try to personally message all of the people who either follow, favorite, or review any of my stories just because you have no idea how much it means to have my work received either praised or criticized. I truly cannot thank you all enough! Seriously, you guys make me even that much more motivated to keep writing more!

Now, enough of that! Let me know what you guys and gals think of this chapter and happy late Thanksgiving! I hope to get something out before Christmas so hopefully, see you all very soon! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Her eyes remained shut. A second went by, then a minute. Surely she was gone by now. Surely she had departed Hyrule to join her ancestors with the goddesses above. She wanted to open her eyes again but found herself to be too scared to actually do so. Would she see the light from the heavens, or would she see the darkness of the cave; her soul stuck in the never ending darkness in eternal rest. She took in a heavy breath and gathered her courage. There would only be one way to find out the answer to her question.

Her eyelids fought against her, wanting to remain shut and shield her from her surroundings. Her conscious won the battle however and she slowly peered out from her shell. Expecting to see the white lights of the lands above, she could only frown as she cast a glance in front of her. Fire and flames seemed to envelope her, scorching everything but the spot she was standing in. The red tails of the flames reflected in her eyes, the heat as intense as the pounding sun of the Gerudo Desert. The embers floated above her, distracting her from her surroundings like fireflies in the night. She sadly sighed however as realization struck her, her eyes averting the red specs flying up and looked longingly in front of her. She wasn't in the golden land of the goddesses… She was not going to be having supper with her ancestors, but instead be sharing the table with Demise in the world under the land…

Only one thing didn't make sense to her though. There was this funny looking kid in front of her standing in front of the source of the fire, the only truly blackness she had seen since waking up in the Din forsaken land. From what she could tell, he seemed to be yelling at her for some reason. She tried to listen to him but his words were inaudible to her. She couldn't help but let out a tiny giggle as she watched him shout at her.

_'This kid should really calm down a little'_ she thought while giggling at his silly antics.

Her giggling seemed to taper when the enveloping flames seemingly died out around her, leaving only a small fire to emit from something the kid in front of her was holding. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark settings as she tried to avert her eyes from the boy in front of her, but as soon as the cool air of the cavern hit her skin and the instant the image of the cave and the Dodongo in front of her hit her eyes, he was all she could look at.

_'I'm not dead… Blessed be Hylia, I'm not dead!'_

But it was too early to celebrate as the threat in front of her began to intake air once again. He waved the flaming object, his burning shield, in the air for a second before shifting his attention towards her. He began speaking to her again, and as the ringing in her ears simmered, his voice began to materialize.

"Zelda!" he yelled at her, attempting to shake her out of the daze she found herself in. Her eyes looked at him numbly but soon began fluttering as she turned her head in all directions, realization of her surroundings sinking in.

"L…Link?"

He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the shriek of the monster behind him. He twisted his body slightly, giving his attention back the Dodongo, but his eyes went wide as flames began shooting out towards him. He quickly brought his free hand to the princess's collarbone and pulled her to the ground with all the force he could muster while simultaneously bring his burning Kokiri Shield in front of them. Upon reaching the already burning piece of wood, the flames splintered off from each other and diffused around the two, enveloping the space around them in a bright orange blanket. Zelda squeezed Link's arm tightly and jammed her eyes shut, practically cutting off any blood from flowing through his arm.

The flames had been eating away at his shield and the new inferno brought about by the monster only aided in catalyzing the process. The flames danced their way through the devoured wood and began tickling the fingers of Link. Despite the searing pain caused by the red flower, Link tightened his grip on the shield, as it was the only thing that was diverting the certain death that loomed around the two.

After what seemed like forever to the forest boy, the creature exhausted its supply of flames and soon the wall of fire surrounding them disappeared.

"Din!" He cursed out, dropping the flaming shield in front of him. Zelda opened her eyes upon hearing him and quickly dropped her hands from his arm as he jumped back slightly. He shook his hand slightly and grabbed tightly at it trying to soothe the agony but quickly dropped it. With his good hand, he reached into his side and grabbed out three tiny seedlings.

"Zelda, close your eyes!"

She quickly followed his orders and heard a series of popping sounds in the direction of the beast. She opened her eyes and as the dazed look upon the creature met her eyes, she felt a hand grab hers. If the goddess's plan for the day had been different, she would've definitely found herself blushing from the act however, given her current circumstances, this was the last thing on her mind. He yanked on her hand, pulling the princess behind her, until finally letting go when he reached his destination.

"Zelly listen to me. I need you to crawl through this hole and wait for me on the other side. If I don't come out in less than four minutes, you need to run back down to the village. Do not stop for anything!" Link whispered to the little girl.

"But Link- "

The creature roared loudly as it awoke from its temporary daze. Zelda looked back at Link with a worried look but Link had already turned his back to her.

"Go Zelda!" He yelled out at her already in the process of drawing his sword out with his good hand.

The princess instantaneously dropped to her hands and knees and began making her way through the small crawlspace. A little less than half way through the tunnel, the darkness gave way to a red glow, an unreal warmness hit her legs as she continued crawling, knowing full well the origin of that small outburst of light. She sent a silent prayer to the goddesses above as she made her way forward. Eventually, the light from the outside world began shining in front of her allowing her to crawl faster, her skin eager to feel the outside air. In no time, Zelda made it to the end of the cave and pushed herself off of her hands and onto her feet. She clapped her hands against each other trying to shake off the dirt and debris on her hands before looking up and freezing in shock.

The five tektites from earlier laid motionless in front of her. A purple, goopy substance, as well as streams of blood oozed out from the giant gashes that adorned the many monsters; some of the monsters had even been unlucky enough to have had extra limbs strewn about no longer attached to their rectangular bodies. She carefully examined the monsters, making sure that Link had successfully sent them out of this world before finally relaxing her shoulders and slumping down against the rocky wall.

The next thing she noticed was herself. The pink dress that had been in pristine condition at the festival earlier was now torn at the hem. Parts of it also now adorned small holes and tears and other pieces of the fabric were now stained black from the Dodongo's flame that had managed to catch it. Her legs were covered in dirt and mud and her hands and arms were no doubt in the same shape. She didn't even want to imagine what her hair must've looked like. She hoped Link hadn't been able to take a look at it in the cave for she would've died of embarrassment…

_'Link!'_

Her attention quickly averted to the small hole she had emerged from only moments ago. She bent down to look inside of it but much to her dismay, the green clothed boy was nowhere in sight. She tried to listen into it but only the distant echoes of the dodongo's screeches hit her eardrum. She backed away from it and sat anxiously against the rock wall, her eyes locked on the hole.

A minute passed, and then another, and then another…

_'He can't be… there's no way that the Dodongo could've… no, don't think like that Zelda. This is Link you're talking about. He can do anything! Surely a Dodongo couldn't have…'_

Zelda counted down the seconds that passed as her thoughts continued to float through her head. By the time the four minutes had surely passed, she began to panic as there was still no sign of Link. She wanted to crawl back in and grab him herself and bring him to safety… but Link's words had resurfaced in her mind, and she had to listen to him. With one last look, she sighed and picked herself back up. She then began making her way down the mountain trail. Just as she was about to turn the corner that would make her loose her view from the cavern's entrance, she gave one last glimpse behind her shoulder and felt a tear roll down her cheek as her friend was nowhere to be seen. She drew in an uneasy breath, trying to hold back her cries, and continued down.

She jumped over the many rocks that impeded her progress along the trail and carefully walked along the rough path until she just couldn't take it any longer. The princess fell to her knees and began crying, lamenting over Link. She sat there allowing the tears their time to escape her body, her gasps for air becoming harder, the ground beneath her now wet from the drops that had shaken loose from her.

Just when she thought she was at her worst, the wall next to her began to shake. As sudden as it had occurred, it stopped. Zelda sniffled and wiped at her cheeks, getting back up to her feet to look at the wall curiously. She sniffled once more and pressed her ear to the rock. The instant the skin of her lobe touched the wall, the rock shook once again, more violent than the last time. The princess stumbled backwards, allowing herself distance from whatever was causing it. For an instant, it was quiet again, only the chilly, windy air causing any noise, but from the spot where the shaking had been occurring, the wall suddenly blasted open, rocky shards flying up into the air and landing all about. Zelda sidestepped out of the way of all of them and looked curiously at spot of the explosion. When the dust and debris had finally settled, there stood Link who stared right back at her.

"L-Link?!"

Her expression said it all. She ran up to the boy and wrapped her hands around him tightly. He brought both arms to either side but could only respond by patting her back lightly with one hand as his other one was badly burnt. She cried lightly into his shoulder, her arms squeezing him around the torso. She finally withdrew and stared him in the face.

"Zelda, I'm-"

_**SLAP**_

Link looked at her in shock, bringing up his good hand to rub gently at the stinging spot on his cheek.

"Why did you do that?!" she thrashed out at him angrily. "I could've stayed and helped! And you got hurt… and… that monster had you cornered… and… and…" Zelda began sniffling again trying to fight back the tears she didn't even think could form after all the ones she had already shed. "I-I thought it k-killed you, L-Link… I-I thought you were d-d-…" She began crying again and fell forward onto his chest, surprising the boy slightly. He patted her back and gently stroked his hand through her air.

"Sh, sh… it's okay Zelly. I'm okay… I'm here, I'm fine!" Link calmly replied trying his best to console the girl.

"N-No you're n-not…"

The princess's cries continued for a short while but began to finally subside. She sniffled again and wiped at her cheek, finally standing back on her own feet, supporting herself.

"Really Zelly I'm completely fine! No need to worry anymore, okay?"

She sniffled and looked at him.

"Are you sure? Because… goddesses Link! Your hand!"

He brought his now blistery left hand up and looked at it, chuckling slightly, shrugging it off.

"What this? Oh it's nothing really. I've had worse happen to it," he nonchalantly replied as flashbacks of the Fire Temple stormed through his mind.

"Link, that is not nothing!" She rushed forward and gently clawed at his wrist, looking his hand over. "Goddesses Link, its blistering everywhere. Parts of it even have…" Zelda brushed her finger gently over an area that was leaking blood slightly from where his skin seemed to have melted off, making him wince slightly from her touch.

"Sorry Link, it's just…" She looked down at it, incredible guilt washed over her. "Why'd you do it? Why'd you come after me? I thought… I thought you liked Malon more? Why didn't you just… stay and play with her?"

Link smiled slightly as he watched her eyes drift downwards.

"What, and leave you all alone on this mountain?" she looked up at him, but only just slightly. "Malon is a great girl. She's carefree and funny and… she's going to grow up to be a very strong individual. She's helped me get back on my feet when I was at my worst. She was one of the best friends I ever had!" Zelda couldn't look at him anymore. She had heard what she needed to. "But, Malon isn't you Zelly." The princess picked her head up, slightly surprised to hear these words escape Link's mouth. "You're so kind, so funny, so friendly… You've become, in this life, like a sister to me in a way. And I couldn't let you just go and wander up the trail by yourself. Like I said, I know what this volcano hides from us. I've been to places that I wish I could forget about but… I…" Link trailed off, and for the first time in the conversation, avoided her gaze. "You left me once… and I couldn't bear to see you leave me again… I wouldn't be able to live if I lost you again," he muttered quietly.

If this was any other time, Zelda would've asked him what he meant by "again", but for the time being, she let it slide and simply went and hugged him lightly again.

"Link, I'll never leave you… you're my friend… you'll never lose me, I promise."

Link smiled slightly and hugged her with his free hand.

"Now," she let go of him and stood back, "we should probably get back to the village. You need to get your hand fixed and have all your cuts and scratches looked at. But more importantly, I need to a new dress. Look what you did to this one!"

"What do you mean by 'I did to it'?" he asked, using his fingers for air quotes.

The two began walking side by side back down the Death Mountain Trail, the princess next to her hero.

* * *

"So you really think that- "

"Wait just a quick second. I only said that to her to console her at the time!"

"So who do you like more then, in this life at least? Zelda or M- "

"I am not going to answer that."

"And why not Link?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"Because I know what girls like you try to do to us when we answer an opinionated question incorrectly."

"Well…" she crossed her arms and pouted, "you're no fun I hope you know."

"You didn't seem to think that of me when we were kids."

The girl lightly giggled. She stared at me with her big, round, blue eyes. Her hair, always a tangled mess as wild as the jungle when we had played as kids, now flowed down her shoulders and back, vibrant and full of color and life, as opposed to the dry, lifeless hair of her counterpart from the lost land. I couldn't help but look at her with a shy smile. She was cute, I had always thought this of her, but after the events that had taken place not even a week ago, my mind simply omitted any other opinions I might have of her.

"So Link, are you gonna continue on with your story or are you going to stare at me for the rest of the day?"

"Well I mean with a face like yours, it's hard not to stare." I stated with a coy smile, causing her cheeks to turn a light shade of red. "I mean it's not every day you get to look at something so… atrocious!"

She quickly turned towards me and punched me playfully on my arm.

"You know, you're something else, meany."

I responded by lightly laughing.

"If you're done insulting me and my..." she slowly careened her head in a circle, causing her hair to flip along with it, "beautiful face, then I think you have a story to continue."

I laughed again at her silly antics, my head shook slightly as I did.

"Well, there's not much more to say. We walked back to the village, Zelda's parents were less than pleased to find out." I picked my head up and looked into her eyes trying to resist the small smile creeping onto my face. "I remember Talon not being too happy about the events either." She giggled slightly, as did I. "But I mean other than the trouble we all got in, nothing else really happened."

* * *

As the trees began to adorn leaves on their naked branches, the princess soon forgot about her adventures in the village and the accompanying punishment that had come with it.

Impa, at first very displeased with how easy it had seemed for the princess to escape Link's grasp, began growing very fond of the mysterious forest boy. He was strong, serious and rugged like a soldier, yet when he was around the princess, he turned into a caring, compassionate person, the friend Zelda had always needed.

Impa watched in the shadows as the bond between the princess and the forest boy grew stronger as time ticked away. Seconds turned into days, days turned into months, and with the coming of the warmer air, May was upon them again. By Zelda's birthday, the two were nearly inseparable, spending almost every minute they could with each other. A grand ball was thrown in honor of the princess's eighth birthday and for the first time, the princess actually found herself enjoying the festivities as she actually had company she thoroughly enjoyed by her side. In fact, the only part she found displeasing about the entire affair was when Link and Malon escaped her site for a little while. Though she knew deep down that Link would never do anything to harm or hurt her, whether that be physically or emotionally, she couldn't help but feel jealous every time the girl from the ranch came into the picture.

June was soon upon them and the two found themselves being drawn outside by the warm air. After many pleas from the young princess, Link and Zelda finally managed to persuade Impa to allow them to venture into the castle town below, under Impa's watchful eye of course. They played by the town's fountain in the main plaza, sometimes with the other children, sometimes by themselves, and only on a few occasions did they stir up enough mischief to be sent back to the castle by one of the standing guards.

July brought with it scorching hot, brittle and dry weather. The market was a ghost town by midday due to the unbearable heat but this didn't stop the two from sneaking down and frolicking around, sometimes splashing each other with the cool water of the fountain.

August was quick to pass. It saw Talon and his daughter visiting the castle often for their milk deliveries, sometimes staying for an extended visit. The princess, the rancher's daughter, and the Fairy Boy would spend most of their time playing around on the castle's front lawn, rolling around in the grass and laughing the day away. When nighttime would roll around, the three would sneak off to stables for a brief visit with the many animals. Malon taught the two a lot about taking care of the many animals and on more than one occasion, her lessons went well longer than intended and the three would fall asleep in the hay bales that littered the stable's floor.

A slight chill began to blow through the air as September settled in. The leaves began to change color, painting the landscape in brilliant colors of the rainbow but soon, the leaves began to fall from the trees erasing the colors from the dull setting. The castle workers did a good job to pile up the leaves into tall stacks, but Link and Zelda did an even better job of undoing their work by jumping into the piles and sending leaves flying all around them as they giggled and laughed their hearts out.

The days grew crisp as the month of October invaded Hyrule. They began seeing less and less of Talon and Malon due to the inevitable winter that was fast approaching. The outside stalls of the market began to move indoors as they readied for the cold months ahead. Zelda and Link found the town center almost deserted, except for the occasional mendicant. Sometimes, the only sound that would greet their ears was the howling wind that would blow between the buildings. As the end of the month approached, Zelda found herself creeping up into Link's room at night and asking if she could sleep in his room as she was scared of what was lurking outside and inside the castle's walls. This month was known for the increased sightings of creatures that liked to emerge from the dark: Poes, Redeads, Gibdos, Deadhands. Zelda even swore that one night, she saw a poe float through the halls and enter the dining corridor but Impa reassured her that it was most likely her mind playing tricks on her.

He had no idea how they had found out. Maybe it had slipped his lips once while talking with the princess. But when November arrived, the king, queen, and princess invited a few people to the castle, including the Lons, and threw Link a small surprise birthday party. It was nothing extravagant, but to Link, who had never experienced anything like it, it was, in the simplest of terms, perfect.

Dark, depressing and cold. These were the perfect words to describe December in Hyrule's lands. Snow cascaded down and formed a pristine blanket that covered the land. Apart from the single winter Link struggled through in the other Hyrule, he had no experience when it came to actually enjoying this magical phenomenon, for he only remembered walking around with cold hands and beyond numb toes whenever he had to deal with snow. However, with a snowball down his tunic early one morning, Zelda quickly showed him the fun he could have with it and from then on, it was snowmen, snowball fights, and sledding that filled their daily routine. Every night would usually play out the same way too. When the sun nestled itself below the horizon, the two would spend their time cuddled up next to each other in front of the warm fireplace. Link would tell her stories of the quest he once undertook. Zelda always found herself closing her eyes as he spoke, the words slipping out of his mouth seemed to always form a perfect picture in the mind of the princess. It seemed odd to her that he always seemed to finish off his story before he ever returned to the main town from this mysterious land. It always ended immediately after gaining some trinket as a reward for helping out a big fish, or something like that. Whenever she would probe a few questions, sometimes as simple as what the name of the land this happened in was or the name of the princess that gave him the magical flute, it always seemed to cause Link to grow uncomfortable and would many times result in him remaining silent for the remainder of the night.

January was somehow colder than December. The two spent many of their days inside the castle walls, exploring many of its hidden passages and corridors. They made a habit of sometimes hiding behind some of the hidden walls and popping out to scare the many servants that walked by. After causing one servant to drop a handful of elegant dishes, Impa had to take action and forbid the two from seeing each other for a brief period as a punishment however, this didn't last long as they soon found a way to sneak each other messages using a long forgotten dumbwaiter that connected the two rooms. Zelda would even sometimes crawl into it and have Link pull the dumbwaiter down to his room so that the two could spend the evenings chatting and giggling before Impa or any of the servants would check on them.

February and March were rather uneventful for Zelda who spent many days looking out of the window that perfectly displayed a pleasant view of the front castle lawn and town below. There had been a small fire at Lon Lon Ranch and upon hearing news of this, Link quickly left Zelda and the castle behind to go and help the ranch recover and rebuild in time for the start of their busier months which came in the later part of spring and summer. It was an incredibly generous and selfless act from Link. The princess understood why he had volunteered to go. Link, in general, was a caring and selfless boy, but she couldn't deny the fact the Malon and Link were friends too and she knew that he cared about Lons and Lon Lon Ranch. If Zelda had been given permission from her family to go and help, she would've done the same thing. Unfortunately for her, she was a princess and that meant she had to stay back at the castle to carry out her duties for the land she loved.

The flowers bloomed once again as April peered its head into Hyrule. Zelda had been extremely excited to see Link again and to resume their nonsense together but as the days grew warmer, as the calendar flipped to the month of May, she had begun to grow worried. The royal family had received word that Link had left the ranch in early April but his presence was nowhere to be seen. As Zelda's birthday came by, she had been hoping to see his face at her party again but instead, only saw the darkness of the night sky as the month came to a close.

* * *

"What is up with you and missing birthdays?"

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

"Just my specialty I guess."

She playfully smiled and stood up from her chair.

"I'm tired of sitting in this dark tavern. Would you care to accompany me on a small walk?"

I pondered the idea. I was rather enjoying sitting here and-

"You don't have a choice, loser!"

The girl yanked me up by the hand and entangled our forearms together before dragging me out of the building. We gingerly made our way up to the Death Mountain Gate before we sat down and took in the rays of the sun. It was a quiet morning in the village. Only the sound of birds chirping and distant banging of a hammer could be heard.

"How long are you in town for?" I finally asked, breaking the silence. I looked over at her, awaiting a response. Her arms were outstretched behind her as she rested on them. Her head was tilted back, eyes shut as the rays touched the soft skin of her face. Her hair draped down, off of her scalp, and hung in the air only centimeters from reaching the grassy ground beneath her.

"Until Papa needs me back… or until you finish your story. Whichever one takes longer," she said with a wry smile, eyes still closed. "So where did you disappear off to, after the ranch that is? I always did wonder."

"That's… kind of a story for another time."

* * *

He was going to murder Nabooru, even if she was just a spirit in this land.

Link slowly led Epona out of the Lost Woods and for the first time in what seemed like ages, the sun of Hyrule shone down on his face. He pulled slightly on Epona's reigns causing the young mare to slow to a halt. Link dismounted her and led her to the small creek that flowed out of Kokiri Village.

_'Hyrule must be enjoying its summer by now'_ he thought, for Link had grown up knowing the forest became extremely buggy and humid in the summer months, and the sweat dripping off of his forehead confirmed it.

He scooped water into his hands and doused his head with the cool element. He looked at Epona beside him who gave a small snort of approval after sipping on the creek. He was thankful to Malon for allowing him to take Epona with him after he had helped them rebuild their ranch. Epona had helped him on more than one occasion as he raced to beat the clock on his latest adventure. He looked behind him and stared at the darkness that the trees created in the seemingly never ending forest. And it scared him to think that somewhere in there, he had been lucky enough to escape that damned land he had found by accident: Termina.

He looked at his pack and stared straight at the sole item he took with him from that Din-forsaken land; it had been the only item he had brought into the land originally too. It was the same item he stole from Zelda's room when he snuck into the castle before venturing off into the woods: The Ocarina of Time. He picked it up and observed the blue instrument.

He hated this item. It had caused him so much grief. Its existence had created so many painful memories and so much anguish. Yet, it was due to this instrument that he stood at the Kokiri Creek today. The instrument had saved his life on many occasions in Termina, taking him back in time to have another chance at stopping the mask from bringing the moon down upon its citizens. He placed the instrument back in his pack securely and sat down next to the stream, reflecting on how he had managed to get to the position he was in now.

None of that was even supposed to happen. After helping Malon and her father on the ranch, he was going to return to the castle, for he knew Zelda had, without a doubt, been counting down the days until he said he would be back again. However, after Malon had gifted Epona to him, only for a short while, as a way to say thank you, he decided to visit the Saria of this time in forest. He went directly to the Sacred Forest Meadow but upon arrival, she was nowhere to be found. Disheartened, he decided to step on the pedestal and talk with the sages from the other Hyrule. It was then that Nabooru had disclosed a story about a mysterious place somewhere in the Lost Woods. Thinking that this might possibly be the Gate of Time, Link decided he would go and investigate. Link quickly became lost in the woods however and shortly after, he found himself falling down the tree trunk that led to the mysterious world.

And now, here he was, lucky to be alive.

* * *

Castle Town was alive more than ever. Yes, it was hot outside but apparently, so were the sales. The stalls that littered the main plaza were overrun with the many citizens trying to snatch at the many bargains being offered. Everyone's eyes seemed to be peeled on the objects that sat neatly before them on the makeshift counters… everyone's, except for Link's. His eyes were on the red haired girl sitting on the edge of the fountain, swinging her legs in the air and humming quietly to herself. Her attention was affixed on the ground below her and it wasn't until Link tapped her on the shoulder that this changed.

"Fairy Boy!" Malon excitedly shouted. She immediately jumped down to her feet and threw her arms around him, wrapping him in a friendly hug. She finally pulled away, wearing a large smile. "Where have you been? What are you doing here? We've been awfully worried about you!"

Link smiled slightly as the worried Malon interrogated him.

"That's a long story Malon but a more important question is, what are you doing in Castle Town today?"

Malon's gaze shifted from Link to the path that led up to the castle.

"Papa took me with him for a delivery as usual but ever since you disappeared, he hasn't let me come with him to the castle. Instead, he tells me to wait in town for him but…"

Link's brows furrowed slightly.

"But what? And why can't you go with him?"

The girl sighed and averted her attention from the road.

"It's not that I don't want to join him, it's… well… Zelda thinks it's because of me that you left. So she stopped playing with me and- "

"That's ridiculous!" Link interjected, slightly perturbed that Zelda would blame such a petty thing on her best friend. "It's not your fault at all! I left because…. well it wasn't because of you, or her, or anyone else! Don't worry Malon, I'll talk to her for you."

Malon smiled, silently thanking him with a nod of the head.

"You never answered why you're looking kind of sad right now." Link suddenly had a question pop into his head. "How long have you been waiting here?"

"It's been almost an entire day since I've seen him. I think he… might've fallen asleep on the run. He's done it before…" she trailed off with a hint of sadness accompanying her words. "We got into town yesterday but when the sun set yesterday, he still hadn't returned. So I did what he told me to do and I stayed in this spot, waiting for him to return. I waited for him but I think I ended up falling asleep. When I woke up this morning, he still wasn't here. Do you think… maybe he… forgot about me?" Malon asked, her eyes growing slightly watery.

Link wrapped his arms around her, embracing his friend in a small hug.

"Malon, you know he would never forget about you. Heck, when I was in Termina, there were days when all I thought about was all the fun I had with you on the ranch last spring!" Malon sniffled a little and picked up her head to look into Link's eyes. He greeted her wet eyes with a warm smile. "Tell you what. I was actually heading up to the castle myself. It would be an honor to have you, fair maiden, join me, your humble knight, on my way up. We can look for Talon together. What do ya say?" Link asked, bowing slightly and offering his hand out to her.

The red head wiped her eyes and giggled, reaching her hand out to his and nodding her head yes.

* * *

"What do you mean I can't go in?"

"We have strict orders to not allow anyone in unless they have an appointment with the royal family. No exceptions."

Link looked at the guard with slight frustration.

"But it's me, Link!"

"Look, I don't care if you're the queen of the Zora's. No appointment, no entry."

Malon, who had been standing slightly behind Link during the ordeal, quickly stepped forward and grabbed ahold of the boy's shoulder, ushering him away from the soldier. Malon brought him away from the main gate and after walking around a cliff, let go of the boy's forearm.

"I can't believe he wouldn't let me in! I mean, it hasn't even been that long since you and I were playing on the front lawn and- "

"Hey! Fairy Boy!" Malon placed both of her hands on Link's shoulders as she tried to calm him down. "It's okay!"

"But Malon, we need to find your dad and- "

"And it's okay, really! You tried your best and that's all I could ask for! The fact that you even did that much for me means a lot for me. Really!"

Link look curiously at the girl.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, living on the ranch, I don't really get to meet a lot of people and… well, because of that, I don't have many friends. Most of the kids in town laugh at me for being so different since I'm not from here or they just avoid me. No one ever really tries to go out of their way for me so even though we couldn't get in, you trying to help me out, it means… well… it means that… I couldn't have asked for a better best friend." Malon smiled at him, blushing only slightly.

Link smiled back after hearing this., but suddenly changed his composure to being more serious as he looked past her slightly.

"Malon, you're wrong about one thing. I haven't tried my best." With that, the boy from the forest flashed a coy smile at her and walked up to the small cliff that led directly to the other side of the main castle gate. "A certain girl once showed me the power of vines," he said while clutching the plant in his hand and tugging on it slightly.

Malon cocked her head slightly.

"Who are you talking about?"

Link climbed up the vines and assisted Malon who was only slightly behind him.

"Let's just say, I once knew this girl who was a lot like you," he laughed loudly as memories of his first encounter with Malon flooded his mind. It was only then that he began to get a slight chill down his back.

The two sneaking into the castle felt extremely familiar to him.

Link held Malon's hand tightly as they made their way through the castle grounds, trying their best to avoid the gaze of any one of the castle guards.

"Can I ask you a question Malon?" Link said as he led the girl behind a small bush and waited patiently for the guard nearest them to walk by.

"Certainly!"

"Why did you start calling me Fairy Boy? I've never once had a fairy with me in this time, yet you've always called me by that nickname ever since we met."

Malon wrinkled her nose and shifted her eyes as she pondered his question.

"I… don't really know. When I first met you, you reminded me of someone."

This statement caught Link completely by surprise.

"Who?"

"I don't know who he is but… have you ever had a dream that felt so real that you almost believe it is?"

Link's mind briefly flashed to a reoccurring dream he had had when he was still living in the forest. It was nightmare that caused him to wake up sweating even on the coolest nights: his first encounter with Ganondorf outside of Castle Town's walls.

"Ever since you began helping out at the ranch, I've been having some weird dreams… or I guess sometimes, they're really nightmares, about a place that seems so much like Hyrule but so much… darker."

Link grabbed her hand again and led her out from behind the bush and ran towards an area of slightly tall grass that they ducked down in.

"Darker in what ways?" he probed her only after making sure they had gone unseen.

"I don't know… They just feel darker," she hesitantly answered. "But anyways, the reason I brought this up is because before we met, I had one of these dreams where I saw someone exactly like you, except he had a fairy with him, like one of the kids from the forest. I called him Fairy Boy in my dream and the next day when I first saw you, the name just fit! So voila! You became Fairy Boy!"

"Well I like it," he expressed with a small smile.

As soon as the guard walked past them and turned his back on their position, Link ushered Malon to a small area where they could climb over the last gate that led to the castle's moat.

"So what other dreams have you had about the dark Hyrule?" Link asked with extreme interest.

"I can't remember all of them, but the scariest one I do remember is one where Ingo takes over the ranch. In the dream, he forces my papa off of the ranch and treats me awfully. I don't know why he did it or why I let him be so mean to me but I think it's probably because of the horses. I think he would hurt them if it wasn't for me and…. where's Epona?" Malon quietly asked.

"I took her back to the ranch, don't worry."

Just as he answered, the two ran to the side entrance of the castle and found Talon snoozing in front of an unopened box of milk bottles.

"Well, we found him," Malon quietly said, disappointment resonating in her voice. She momentarily watched his chest rise and fall slowly; her father clearly in a deep sleep. With a heavy sigh, she turned her attention from her passed out father to the boy who had helped her find him and smiled. "Thank you Link," she sweetly said.

"Oh it was nothing, really," Link replied, shrugging her statement off.

"Wellto me it's a lot, soooo," Malon moved her head towards him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, catching Link by surprise, before moving away from him, "thank you!"

The two stared at each other for a brief second until Malon began blushing and forced her gaze away from him.

"Need help waking him up?"

"Nah, I brought along a secret weapon," Malon winked at him while reaching into a pocket hidden in the folds of her dress.

"Let me guess, a cucoo egg."

Malon shook her head and stuck out her tongue while producing a small cucoo instead.

"Ha ha, very funny. Just because I did that once by accident last spring doesn't mean I'll make that mistake again! Unlike you boys, girls learn from their past mistakes."

"What do you mean by that?!"

"Oh nothing!" Malon gleefully giggled.

* * *

**Author's Note: **A combination of me being fully brain dead after finals and having my sisters home for the holidays is the reason this chapter was delayed, even if only slightly. But I still apologize as in the previous chapter I know I promised a chapter out by Christmas and... well tomorrow is New Years sooooo... Sorry!

Anyways, I really struggled with this one. I don't know why but I found that whenever I would start writing a new section of this chapter, things just weren't clicking together. I went through and edited it as usual and tried to make it sound less choppy so do let me know what you all think. I am proud of the end result though and I am super excited to write the next chapter... I've got a good surprise in for you all! What do you all think about Malon by the way? She's having dreams about... some strange Hyrule she is not familiar with... but Link is... what could this mean... and has anyone figured out who the girl is that Link is talking to? I've been trying to drop subtle hints in throughout the past few chapters though I am not sure just when I will do the official, final reveal of her identity. Any other comments or questions, let me know! I love talking with you guys about my story or Zelda in general! It gives me a lot of inspiration and motivation.

Also, you guys and gals... you all rock. I had so many people favorite this story or follow it and so far, it is quickly on its way to becoming my most successful and best story and I'm only five chapters in! No way I would be enjoying the successes of this story without you all so thank you thank you thank you!

I guess that's all I have to say to you all for now regarding this chapter. Let me know what you all think and hopefully I can bust out a new chapter soon! Thanks as always and Happy (late) Holidays and I wish you all a very happy New Year!

~**PenguinForce**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Link stood up and wiped his hands on his tunic, drying them off. He looked down at his knees and frowned slightly at the wet spots that saturated both of his legs. Luckily for Link, it was the middle of the summer and by the time he had crept up on the first of the stationed guards in the castle's gardens, his garments had completely dried off.

The boy ducked behind a hedge littered with Limelight hydrangeas, narrowly avoiding the gaze of a guard who had appeared from behind a bush of white roses opposite of Link. The forest boy smiled as he eyed the guard making his rounds, the sweet scent of the flowered hedge filling his nose with nostalgia; memories of his first infiltration of the castle walls flooded his mind. A lifetime ago, he had been squatting behind this very hedge avoiding the guards around the courtyard and gardens, his heart pumping just as fast as it was currently. Even though he had grown used to seeing the princess regularly in this time, his heart always beat fast in anticipation of her company. She was the only one who seemed to be able to have this effect on him, and he always grew giddy when he thought about it.

* * *

"And while you were daydreaming about the princess, you got caught!"

"You wish I did," I snorted out, laughing momentarily.

"Well duh! Cuz you wouldn't have been able to see Zelda again and then, you would've been all mine Fairy Boy!" She winked at me, her coy smile adorning her face, while she squeezed my arm with her hand.

I looked at her a little uneasy but tried to force a smile on my face, a smile she easily saw through. She let go of my arm and immediately positioned herself directly in front of me, looking at me with a worried expression.

"There's something you're not telling me." She looked at me with the same stern look a worried mother would look at her child. "What's going on?"

I didn't answer, I couldn't answer. How would I be able to tell her that the princess… how would I be able to tell her that it was all my fault?

"Link, I know you blame yourself for a lot of things that were out of your control but none of its your fault." She smiled sweetly at me as I looked at her with slight shock. "What? You've been my best friend since… well forever it seems. By now, I can tell when my friend is putting on a mask to cover up what he's really feeling." Her heart had always been big, she always seemed to know just what to say. She was the friend I went to the most during the toughest of times and regardless of her situation, she always seemed to be able to greet me with a smile. She was my best friend. "So Link, gonna tell me what made you look so distraught?"

I sighed after a quick glance at her ocean blue eyes.

"It's Zelda."

Her eyes clearly grew curious, her brows furrowing.

"Is she okay?"

Silence again. I couldn't will myself to tell her yet.

* * *

"Where does Impa find these guards?' Link thought quietly to himself as he slipped passed another set of soldiers guarding the entrance to the courtyard. He let a quiet laugh escape as he sprung out from behind the last of the Lilac capped hedges and ran around the corner that led directly to the encircled courtyard at the epicenter of the castle: Zelda's Courtyard.

His running slowed to a jog before slowing again to a walk until his body came to a standstill, his eyes unable to peer away from the sight in front of him. At the opposite end of the grassy knoll stood the princess in her formal attire; an elegant dress that flowed past her ankles. Draped around her waist was a violet skirt with the Hylian Crest sown on it in a brilliant gold color. She stood on her tippy toes looking through the window that overlooked the throne room on the other side. Her hair flowed freely behind her, her golden lochs a site for his sore eyes. Atop her head sat the princess's crown, something she loathed having to wear. To her, it was but an inconvenience that interrupted her daily routine. Luckily for her, the tiara, adorned with ocean blue emeralds and fuchsia rubies, only had to be worn when notable dignitaries were visiting the castle.

But something was not sitting well with Link. His meet up with Malon in the market, the infiltration of the castle, the princess's garb, it all felt too familiar to him.

Link cautiously made his way across the grass, trying his best to make as little sound as he could. He tiptoed his way up the few stairs of the raised pedestal and crept quietly along the stone flooring until he stood right behind the unsuspecting Zelda. With both of his hands raised, he covered her eyes causing the startled girl to jump slightly, before whispering, "guess who?" into her ears.

The princess hesitated, her brows furrowing briefly until the sound of his voice had registered in her memory bank.

"Link?" she quietly asked.

Zelda slowly turned herself around. Link retracted his hands revealing her ocean blue eyes.

"Link!" she squealed immediately raising her hands from beside her hip.

Link smiled at her reaction but almost lost his balance as she lunged into his arms and brought her head into the crook of his neck, her legs wrapping around his torso.

"You came back you came back you came back!" she spat out in quick repetition. Her head slowly peeled away and the two children locked eyes for a brief moment. "I knew you'd come back. I knew you wouldn't forget about me."

Link laughed slightly as the princess jumped back down to her own feet.

"I'd never forget about you!"

Her smile grew and so did the redness of her cheeks.

"So um Link… why'd you come back?" she finally asked breaking the brief silence that had overcome the two.

"Come on Zelly, you know why!" Zelda lightly giggled, her eyes wavering to look down at her feet. Link's smile only grew. "I missed Impa, duh!" Link began laughing as Zelda immediately glared at him and shot her hand up, pushing him playfully.

"Not funny!" She stuck her tongue out while trying her best to hide the smile on her lips.

Link stumbled backwards but regained his balance quickly. He glared at her, trying his best to look incredibly hurt by her actions, she in turn reacted with an equally intense look. It was only seconds later however that smiles began creeping onto their faces and before they knew it, they had tumbled down the raised pedestal and were rolling in the soft grass, both unable to contain their laughter.

Out of breath but each with a large smile, they sat next to each other staring at the group of lilies growing just out of reach.

"I really missed you, you know" Zelda said in a hushed voice. Link didn't respond. He knew she did. Disappearing for so long without warning was unfair to her. But he just didn't know what to say. "I know… I know that every time you come back you say you won't leave but… this time," Zelda turned her body and looked up at him with wet eyes, "promise me you won't."

They stared at each other for what felt like forever. With a heavy sigh, Link broke eye contact with the girl and just stared into his lap, the smile faltering on his face.

"I never mean to leave you Zelly. It's just…" Link trailed off, unable to complete his thought.

"I just miss you when you're gone Link. It's not the same when you're not here."

A shy smile formed on Link's face. He twisted his body until he was facing her and brought her in for a hug, his arms pressing her against him tightly.

"I missed you too, Zelly. You have no idea." She pulled away from him and wiped at her soggy eyes.

"Did… did you even… think of me while you were out… having fun?"

Link couldn't help but let loose a laugh causing the young princess to look up at him curiously.

"Zelda, fun is the last thing I had when I was in Termina."

"Termina? Where's that?"

Link struggled to reply. He tried to think of an answer, but daunting images of his journey flashed in his eyes. It was nothing more less than a slideshow of distress and sorrow.

"It's a place beyond imagination." Link's voice began to grow shaky. "A place ruled by shadows but somehow lost in the light. A place where nightmares are a reality, a place where your deepest fears come to life."

"What're you trying to say, Link?"

"It's a place I hope you never come to know."

Link's eyes peered suddenly into hers. She looked into his eyes, and even though she had just repeated this same action only moments ago, his eyes seemed different. They were not glimmering like they usually did. They didn't seem warm and inviting and compassionate like they usually did. Instead, they appeared to house a slight darkness within them, like an evil that had been sealed behind them, trying to pry its way out. Something was off and for the first time, Zelda got the sense he was hiding something from her.

After moments of gazing into his eyes, Link's head finally relaxed and slumped over in front of him. And for the first time, Zelda felt unsure of how to handle the usually brave and courageous boy from the forest.

"Link… don't think of that awful stuff…" The princess crawled next to Link and placed her arm caringly around him, resting her hand on the shoulder opposite of her. "It's gonna be okay now. I mean, look around you." Zelda lifted her head and gazed up into the sky far above. "You're… you're home Link."

The boy exuded a small smile as Zelda brought her head back down and tried her best to look at her friend beside her.

"Thanks Zelly…" He said almost in a whisper.

"No need to thank me Link. I'll always be there for you."

_Always_

* * *

_The night was unusually calm, not even the wind dared to blow._

_Link and Zelda slowly crept up the few stairs that led to the dry, blood splattered doors of the Temple of Time in silence; neither one speaking a word to each other. There was a battle ahead, a big battle, but neither boy nor princess knew what to say to each other in these precious moments before they marched their way up to Ganondorf's Castle._

_Zelda reached her hand up to the doors of the building to open them but Link's hands beat hers there, causing her to leave her hand elevated in the air somewhat awkwardly. Link looked back at Zelda with her hand in the air and stared at her silently. His serious look softened, causing him and the princess to break out into light laughter. Link didn't even know why he began to laugh, it wasn't really that funny. But in the midst of all this tension, her innocent, little, awkward act proved to be just what they needed._

_Eventually, Link followed the princess into the dimly lit building and shut the doors gently behind him, their creaking hinges echoing loudly in the empty building. As they made their way to the front altar that still encased the spiritual stones, Link couldn't help but look around, as surrounding the red carpet that lay in the path to the front, were splotches of blood and half decomposed bodies that lay there dormant, serving as a constant reminder to all who entered of the vile, malicious attack on Hyrule's Castle Town seven years before. The boy's eyes veered up to look at Zelda in front of him. He couldn't see her eyes but he knew the scene before them was affecting her too. It was hard for it not to._

_As the echoing of their footsteps faded, silence once again enveloped the two as they stood uneasily at the base of the altar. Link opened his mouth to speak, but found himself at a loss for words and quickly closed it. He instead just chose to stare at the girl in front of him, allowing his eyes to take in as much of her he could. From her long, blonde hair, to her soft, blue eyes, he wanted to see it all, remember it all, just in case this really was their last time._

_"__Link…." Zelda said almost in a whisper. "Link, I want to…" but she too was at a loss of words. "Link, in case this is… you know…" He nodded, there was no reason to say it out loud. "I just want you to know Link, that everything I ever said about you… everything I've ever felt about you…" Her eyes moved from his face, to the space below her as she tried to piece together what to say. "Link…. I just want to… Just… Thank you Link. Thank you for everything you've done for, not only this kingdom…. but…" She shyly looked back into his eyes, his staring intently at hers. "but for me as well."_

_"__Zelda, I- "_

_"__Link please," she interrupted putting her hand up to stop him, "I know your kind and… and selfless heart is going to try and somehow make it seem as though everything you've accomplished thus far was, everything you've endured… was merely fate, as if it was not an amazing feat. But this one-time Link, on behalf of every one of us in Hyrule," Zelda bowed her head slightly, "thank you."_

_Link smiled slightly and brought his hand to her chin, lifting it up._

_"__I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you, our fair princess."_

_Zelda stood back up with a gentle smile, Link reciprocating. A calm quietness greeted them soon after. _

_Zelda helped readied his gear as Link cleaned the blade of the Master Sword. Before long, the princess was helping him get geared up, passing him his many trinkets that he stowed in his pack and around his waist. Link, with a big exhale, lifted his shield and placed it onto his back. As he adjusted the clunk of metal, his eyes surveyed the area for the Master Sword, and found the hilt being held by a pair of delicate hands. Link followed the arms up until he saw the princess face._

_"__Link, please kneel," she requested politely, to which Link acquiesced. She then lifted the sword until the blade rested upon his left shoulder. Opening her mouth, her sweet voice began caressing the ear of the knight in front of her. "In the name of the Goddess Hylia, and all things pure in nature, I, Princess Zelda, bestow upon you the opulent title of…" Zelda paused which caused Link to look up at her. She thought for a second before smiling back at him, to which Link bowed his head back down. _

_"__Hero of Time." _

* * *

_The two began walking to the doors of the Temple of Time. Link placed his hand on the cold metal of the door before pausing._

_"__Zelda… you need to stay here," he said while facing the doorway._

_"__What do you mean, Link? We are fighting him together. That was always the plan!"_

_Link turned slowly to face her._

_"__I just… I can't risk it Zelly."_

_"__Risk what?" There it was again. That ever too common silence. "Link, you have to talk to me. What're you afraid of?"_

_"__I'm… I'm afraid of…" Link sighed, "I'm afraid of losing you, alright Zelly. I'm afraid that I'll lose you again." Zelda looked at him, unknowing of what to say to this. "From the moment I first met you, all those years ago in the Courtyard, you were the sole reason that I kept motivating myself as a child to push on, even in the worst of circumstances. And when I awoke as an adult and couldn't find you, the thought of being without you to help me grow and guide me on my journey… that feeling of being without you was… it was unbearable and lonely._

_"__That moment when I found you only a few months ago, it was maybe the happiest time in my life. Knowing you really had escaped his evil clutches, it filled me with so much warmth and joy that…"_

_"__Link I… I won't be leaving you again. I'll be right by your side the entire time and-"_

_"__And if the unthinkable were to happen to you… I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I could've prevented it from happening."_

_Zelda looked at the man in front of him, but he couldn't look at her. She finally sighed and lifted her hand onto his shoulder._

_"__Link, no matter what happens next, no matter what distance may ever separate us, I will be there for you." She tugged on him slightly, and he turned to face her in response. "No matter how far apart we may be, or even if we find ourselves in separate times, I will always be with you... here." She pointed to his heart. _

_"__Zelda that's just- "_

_"__Shhh Link. Just close your eyes and feel your heart beat within you." She watched him as he did. "That same rhythm your heart beats to, is the same one mine does as well. Your heart and my heart will always be connected and beat as one. We will always be together." He opened his eyes._

_"__And I'll always be there for you."_

* * *

"Impa, do I have to wear this ridiculous thing?"

Zelda stood between her bed and the vanity installed in her room while the nursemaid attended to the royal's hair.

"Zelda, what have I told you about talking like a proper princess should?"

"Sorry Impa. Do I have to wear this… what was that word you taught me the other day… oh yeah! Do I have to wear this utterly preposterous thing?"

Impa finished doing up her hair and once again placed her tiara atop her pristine head. She then stepped to the side allowing the princess to examine herself in vanity's mirror.

"That is not what I meant young lady." Impa sternly replied. "And yes you must. You know the rules for when your mother and father entertain distinguished guests. Tonight's guest is especially important so I want you on your best behavior. No tomfoolery of any sorts, do you understand?"

"T-Tomwhatery?" she replied while slightly adjusting her outfit before turning to look at the ever serious Impa.

"Just promise me you will behave and act like a princess this evening," Impa replied with a small smile.

"Um well… I'll think about it!" Zelda said while sticking out her tongue to her nursemaid, causing Impa to laugh slightly at her childishness.

* * *

She never quite knew why she always had to be first to the table for dinner but there she found herself yet again waiting for her parents and the guest to make their appearance. What made the wait so agonizing was the sweet smells of the luscious meal waiting in the room over constantly filling Zelda's nose. It only caused her stomach to grumble more as she tried to figure out what would be on the menu for tonight's meal.

The princess closed her eyes and began to sniff the air as she did her best to distinguish the extravagant smells. No doubt there'd be some sort of wine, which Zelda of course could't drink anyways. To her, it was the easiest scent to pick out as it was the most putrid one to the child's nose. There also seemed like there would be cucco tonight… and perhaps a chowder of sorts, maybe one containing fish from Zora's River. Though she couldn't smell it, she knew that there would be a salad as well. The last scent that tickled her nose however was giving her trouble. Ordonian Cheese… or was it the Lon Lon delight they had a few weeks back… or maybe it was-

"Um, Zelly?" Her eyes immediately darted open. Looking at her with a puzzled face was none other than the forest boy dressed in his usual green tunic. "What're you doing?"

Zelda's cheeks flushed a red as she tried to think of a clever answer but decided to settle on the truth.

"Oh I was just… trying to smell the different foods and…"

Link slowly took walked to her side of the table and casually seated himself on her right.

"Smelling the food?"

"I'm hungry okay?"

The two giggled briefly before silence befell them again.

"You look nice by the way Zelly."

"As do you Link"

Link chortled at her response.

"Not anywhere close to you! I mean you look… like a princess tonight! I look like…"

"You look just like a hero," she sweetly replied.

The door on the far end of the room slowly opened and the children stood up as Daphnes and Hylia made their way to table.

"Link my boy! How do you fair? It's been quite a while!" Daphnes exuberantly shouted as he made his way towards the table.

"I'm doing just fine my boy! I'm glad you could join us once again for dinner! Especially when we have such a noteworthy guest in our presence today. Have you met him previously yet? I'd be shocked if a boy of your age even knew him."

"No sir, I have not met him yet. I do not even know who you are hosting here tonight."

"He's a very influential person, strong minded I must add!"

"Who is this you speak of, father?" Zelda chirped in.

"Ah yes, I forgot you were not with us to greet him Zelda. He is…"

Just then, the door behind Link and the princess slowly croaked open allowing a slight breeze to flow through their hair. The lighting was dim in the hall where the figure stood compared with the bright, candlelight soaked dining hall. The room went quiet as the figure slowly began to step forward. Footsteps echoed in the silent room as the tall figure slowly made their way forward. As the figure made his way closer, the light began to dance on the figure's toes before crawling up their leg slowly.

"Zelda, Link, I would like to introduce you to- "

Link didn't need any kind of introduction. He recognized the man the moment he entered.

"Ganondorf."

* * *

**Author's Note: **And six months later, here you all are! A chapter I had mostly finished... six months ago... yeah sorry about that! But so much has happened since then! Most notably, I participated and completed my study abroad experience and all I have to say is to all of you Australians out there... I loved your country! I had such a blast there and while I was there, I was able to travel to not only every major Australian city/place (Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Cairns, Tasmania, Perth, and Sydney, where I studied in a town just south of there called Wollongong) but I was also incredibly lucky to travel to Phuket, Thailand, and I got to make my way to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as well as squeeze in a trip to the north island of New Zealand, mainly in Auckland and Rotorua! So yeah, if you didn't get it from that last sentence, the reason for my sparse update was... well, I was busy studying abroad and experiencing the world!

But now that I'm back in the good ol' USA, I should be able to crank out a few more chapters before the fall school session commences once again. And on the topic of this story, first off, THANK YOU to everyone who had read and/or reviewed the last chapter. And of course a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who have favorited and/or followed either this story or me as an author! I am incredibly thankful for all of the continued support I have received and I can only hope you enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoy writing it out.

That being said, I know this chapter was kind of slow and somewhat of a "filler" chapter but hey, gotta have a few of those! Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, cuz let's be honest, I forget things easily (Fun Fact, I actually have never planned out the entire story. I have a general idea but I have never once written out the entire story plan!) did you figure out who the "mysterious" girl Link is talking to is? If you have, let me know cuz I'm hoping you've figured it out by now!

Sorry for the long Author's Note but I think I've gotten everything out that I wanted to haha!

As always, let me know what you think of this chapter or story as a whole by leaving a review and I'll see you all real soon!

**-PenguinForce **(PS thank Australians for making my time abroad awesome!)


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